Risk Factors for Rehospitalization Within 90 Days in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Health Services Research
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care presents a significant healthcare burden.
• Repeat hospitalizations contribute substantially to this burden, yet patient characteristics remain understudied.
• Identifying risk factors for readmission is crucial for improving patient outcomes and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize admission patterns in patients with IBD at a tertiary-care center.
• To identify modifiable risk factors associated with 90-day readmission after an index IBD admission.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of electronic medical records was conducted over a 2-year period.
• Demographic and medical factors were examined for association with 90-day readmission.
• A Cox proportional hazards model identified significant predictors of readmission.

Main Results:

• Of 356 patients admitted for unplanned IBD-related reasons, 102 experienced a 90-day readmission.
• Depression (HR=1.99) and chronic pain (HR=1.88) were significantly associated with increased readmission risk.
• Steroid use in the prior 6 months, a marker of disease activity, was not significantly related to readmission.

Conclusions:

• Depression and chronic pain are key risk factors for 90-day readmission in IBD patients.
• Outpatient management strategies targeting psychological and pain symptoms may reduce hospital readmissions.
• Further research should focus on integrating mental health and pain management into IBD care pathways.