Relationship Between Fasting Blood Glucose and Readmission Within 1 Year in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure

Elevated blood glucose has been linked to unfavorable outcomes among individuals with heart failure (HF). Nevertheless, evidence is scarce regarding the association between fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and the likelihood of readmission within one year for elderly patients. To address this gap, a retrospective cohort study was conducted, integrating electronic health records of restricted health data from PhysioNet.

The study focused on HF patients aged 60 years and older, utilizing baseline data, comorbidities, and laboratory test results as covariates. A total of 374 patients were included in the study. The relationship between 1-year readmission rates and various glucose levels was assessed using Kaplan-Meier plots. The analysis employed three multivariate Cox regression models to examine patients with varying glucose levels.

Following adjustments for relevant factors, an association was observed between FBG levels and the rate of readmission in elderly patients with HF (HR=1.0264 [95% CI 0.9994-1.0541]). The diabetes group faced a higher risk of readmission compared to the normal group. However, this difference in outcome events was not statistically significant, with hazard ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals of 1.2134 (0.9811~1.5007), 1.2393 (0.9993~1.5371), and 1.1905 (0.9570~1.4809), respectively. The robustness of the model was further demonstrated through risk models with subgroup analysis, revealing that FBG levels consistently exerted a stable effect on outcome events, unaffected by covariates such as age, gender, body mass index, glomerular filtration rate, and brain natriuretic peptide.

These findings suggest a notable association between elevated FBG at the time of initial hospitalization and the likelihood of readmission within one year among elderly patients with HF.