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Updated: May 12, 2026

Cutoff Value of Phase Angle by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis at Admission as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Acute Heart Failure
05:16

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Published on: June 10, 2025

The relationship between discharge destination and rehospitalization in Chinese patients with heart failure: a cohort

Xia Yun1, Shaojie Bi2, Xiaohua Shi1

  • 1Department of Geriatrics, The Second Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|May 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Discharging heart failure patients to healthcare facilities, rather than home, increases their risk of readmission. This finding highlights discharge destination as a key factor for predicting heart failure readmissions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • High heart failure (HF) readmission rates pose a significant public health challenge.
  • Limited research exists on the impact of discharge destination on HF readmissions in Chinese populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between discharge destination and readmission rates in heart failure patients in China.
  • To identify if discharge to a healthcare facility increases the risk of heart failure readmission compared to discharge home.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of 836 heart failure patients from December 2016 to June 2019.
  • Patients were categorized by discharge destination: home versus healthcare facility.
  • Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were employed to assess readmission risk at 28 days, 3 months, and 6 months.

Main Results:

  • Discharge to a healthcare facility was independently associated with a significantly higher risk of readmission within 6 months (adjusted HR 1.26, P=0.009).
  • This association persisted for readmissions at 3 months (HR 1.26, P=0.034) and 28 days (HR 1.53, P=0.032).
  • Kaplan-Meier analysis and subgroup analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.

Conclusions:

  • Discharge destination is a critical factor influencing heart failure patient outcomes.
  • Patients discharged to healthcare facilities face an elevated risk of heart failure readmission.
  • Clinical practice should consider discharge destination as an important indicator for readmission risk stratification.
Abstract

Keywords:
Chinadischarge destinationheart failurehospitalized patientsrehospitalization

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