Population-based Study of First Hospitalizations for Heart Failure and the Interaction Between Readmissions and...

Disease progression in patients after a first hospitalization for heart failure (HF), in particular the interaction between survival and rehospitalizations, is not well established.

We studied all patients with a first hospitalization and main diagnosis of HF from 2009 to 2013 by analyzing the Minimum Data Set of the Region of Murcia. Both incident and recurrent patients were studied, and the trend in hospitalization rates was calculated by joinpoint regression. Patients were followed-up through their health cards until the end of 2015. Mortality and readmissions, including causes and chronology in relation to the time of death, were assessed.

A total of 8258 incident patients were identified, with annual rates increasing (+2.3%, P <.05) up to 1.24 patients per 1000 inhabitants, representing 71% of hospitalized individuals and 57% of total discharges due to HF. In the first year, 22% were readmitted due to HF, 31% due to cardiovascular causes, and 54% due to any cause. Five-year survival was 40%, which was significantly lower than age- and sex-adjusted expected survival for the general population (76%) (P <.001). Among patients who died during follow-up, readmissions (1.5 per patient/y, 0.4 due to HF) showed a "J" pattern, with 48% of rehospitalizations being concentrated in the last 3 deciles of survival prior to death.

Rates of first hospitalization due to HF continue to increase, with high mortality and rehospitalizations during follow-up, which are concentrated mainly in the period prior to death.