Thirty-day All-cause Readmission Research Articles

Abstract TMP42: Reducing 30-day Stroke Readmissions Using a Multi-Step Quality Improvement Approach

Background: Thirty-day all-cause readmissions occur in about 12% of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, are associated with a 4-fold increase in mortality, and are associated with increased cost utilization. Therefore, reducing 30-day readmissions in AIS patients is of paramount importance. In this study, we aimed to test the effect of a multi-step quality improvement (QI) initiative on readmission rates in hospitalized AIS patients. Methods: We included all patients discharged from a Comprehensive Stroke Center with a diagnosis of AIS or TIA over a 3-year period. The pre-intervention period was 1/1/2020 - 9/30/2021. The approach was instituted on 10/1/2021. After a 3-month washout, the post-intervention period was 1/1/2022 - 6/30/2023. Intervention measures are below.1. An inpatient checklist was instituted to help providers identify and address common problems before AIS/TIA patients were discharged.2. Complex patients discharged home would receive a call shortly after discharge to ensure good understanding of their care and next steps. Such patients were also scheduled to follow up in a rapid access clinic within 2 weeks of discharge.3. Complex patients discharged to a facility required a handoff call to the facility’s accepting provider.4. All readmissions were reviewed in our monthly QI meeting, with efforts to identify preventable causes.We used t-tests to compare mean observed to expected (O:E) length of stay and mortality metrics between the pre- and post-intervention periods. We used Chi Square tests to compare overall readmission rates. Results: Over the study period, 2532 patients were discharged with a principal diagnosis of AIS or TIA, and the all-cause 30-day readmission rate was 8.8% (223/2532). Compared to pre-intervention, the post-intervention period had a lower 30-day readmission rate (7.6% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.023), a non-significantly lower mean O:E mortality rate (0.71 vs. 0.82, p = 0.252), and a non-significantly lower mean O:E hospital length of stay (0.92 vs. 0.88, p = 0.13). Conclusion: At a Comprehensive Stroke Center, a multi-step approach for transitions of care was associated with reduced all-cause readmission rates without increasing hospital length of stay or mortality. Our findings require external validation.

Comparative Effectiveness of Percutaneous Microaxial Left Ventricular Assist Device vs Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump or No Mechanical Circulatory Support in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock

Recent studies have produced inconsistent findings regarding the outcomes of the percutaneous microaxial left ventricular assist device (LVAD) during acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock (AMICS). To compare the percutaneous microaxial LVAD vs alternative treatments among patients presenting with AMICS using observational analyses of administrative data. This comparative effectiveness research study used Medicare fee-for-service claims of patients admitted with AMICS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention from October 1, 2015, through December 31, 2019. Treatment strategies were compared using (1) inverse probability of treatment weighting to estimate the effect of different baseline treatments in the overall population; (2) instrumental variable analysis to determine the effectiveness of the percutaneous microaxial LVAD among patients whose treatment was influenced by cross-sectional institutional practice patterns; (3) an instrumented difference-in-differences analysis to determine the effectiveness of treatment among patients whose treatment was influenced by longitudinal changes in institutional practice patterns; and (4) a grace period approach to determine the effectiveness of initiating the percutaneous microaxial LVAD within 2 days of percutaneous coronary intervention. Analysis took place between March 2021 and December 2022. Percutaneous microaxial LVAD vs alternative treatments (including medical therapy and intra-aortic balloon pump). Thirty-day all-cause mortality and readmissions. Of 23 478 patients, 14 264 (60.8%) were male and the mean (SD) age was 73.9 (9.8) years. In the inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis and grace period approaches, treatment with percutaneous microaxial LVAD was associated with a higher risk-adjusted 30-day mortality (risk difference, 14.9%; 95% CI, 12.9%-17.0%). However, patients receiving the percutaneous microaxial LVAD had a higher frequency of factors associated with severe illness, suggesting possible confounding by measures of illness severity not available in the data. In the instrumental variable analysis, 30-day mortality was also higher with percutaneous microaxial LVAD, but patient and hospital characteristics differed across levels of the instrumental variable, suggesting possible confounding by unmeasured variables (risk difference, 13.5%; 95% CI, 3.9%-23.2%). In the instrumented difference-in-differences analysis, the association between the percutaneous microaxial LVAD and mortality was imprecise, and differences in trends in characteristics between hospitals with different percutaneous microaxial LVAD use suggested potential assumption violations. In observational analyses comparing the percutaneous microaxial LVAD to alternative treatments among patients with AMICS, the percutaneous microaxial LVAD was associated with worse outcomes in some analyses, while in other analyses, the association was too imprecise to draw meaningful conclusions. However, the distribution of patient and institutional characteristics between treatment groups or groups defined by institutional differences in treatment use, including changes in use over time, combined with clinical knowledge of illness severity factors not captured in the data, suggested violations of key assumptions that are needed for valid causal inference with different observational analyses. Randomized clinical trials of mechanical support devices will allow valid comparisons across candidate treatment strategies and help resolve ongoing controversies.

Predictors of Thirty-Day Hospital Readmissions in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the United States: A Nationwide Study.

To evaluate independent risk factors for readmission and to determine the major reasons for readmission in a nationally representative sample of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We used the Nationwide Readmissions Database to identify adults with SLE who were discharged from hospital to home during January-November of 2016 and 2017. Thirty-day all-cause readmissions were identified. A multivariable adjusted survey-specific logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with readmission. A total of 132,400 hospitalized adults with SLE were discharged home during the study period; 88.3% were female, with a median age of 51.0 years (interquartile range 38.7-61.9 years). Of these, 18,973 individuals (14.3%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge from their index hospitalization. In multivariable analyses, the factors associated with the highest odds for readmission were autoimmune hemolytic anemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.86 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.51-2.29]), glomerular disease (OR 1.27 [95% CI 1.19-1.36]), pericarditis (OR 1.35 [95% CI 1.14-1.60]), heart failure (OR 1.34 [95% CI 1.24-1.44]), age 18-30 years (OR 1.28 [95% CI 1.17-1.41] versus age ≥​65 years), and Medicare (OR 1.20 [95% CI 1.13-1.28]) and Medicaid insurance (OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.18-1.34]). Sepsis (7.6%), SLE (7.4%), heart failure (3.5%), and pneumonia (3.2%) were among the most common causes for readmission. In this nationally representative study of SLE readmissions, the strongest risk factors for 30-day readmission were younger age, SLE-related manifestations, and public insurance. These results identify patient groups with SLE that would benefit from postdischarge interventions designed to reduce hospitalizations and improve health outcomes.

Sex-based differences in clinical outcomes and resource utilization of type 2 myocardial infarction

Abstract Background Sex-based differences in clinical outcomes have been previously well described in type 1 myocardial infarction (MI). However, type 2 MI is common in contemporary practice with scarce data regarding sex-based differences of clinical outcomes and resource utilization. Purpose To examine the association of sex category with clinical outcomes and resource utilization in hospitalizations with type 2 MI. Methods The Nationwide Readmission Database 2018 was queried for hospitalizations within the United States with type 2 MI using The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis code I21.A1. Comorbidities and outcomes were identified using the corresponding ICD-10 codes. Complex samples multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to determine the association between type 2 MI and outcomes (in-hospital mortality, index length of stay [LOS], hospital costs, discharge to nursing facility, and 30-day all-cause readmissions) in females compared to males with type 2 MI. Results A total of 252,641 hospitalizations [119,783 (47.4%) females and 132,858 (52.6%) males] were included in this analysis. Females with type 2 MI were more likely to be older (72.8 years vs. 69.7 years; P<0.001), admitted on the weekend (26.5% vs. 25.9%; P=0.02), and have a higher prevalence of chronic pulmonary disease (35.6% vs. 32.0%; P<0.001), obesity (17.9% vs. 15.7%; P<0.001), neurological disorders (22.9% vs. 22.3%; P=0.02), deficiency anemias (7.5% vs. 6.6%; P<0.001), and hypothyroidism (22.1% vs. 10.1%; P<0.001) compared to males with type 2 MI. Female with type 2 MI was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, shorter LOS, less hospital costs, and increased nursing home discharge compared to males with type 2 MI. Females and males with type 2 MI had similar rates of 30-day all-cause readmission [Table 1]. Conclusion Among type 2 MI hospitalizations, females have lower in-hospital mortality, less hospitalization cost, shorter LOS, but increased rates of nursing home discharge compared to males. Thirty-day all-cause readmission was similar between males and females with type 2 MI. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Hospital- and Patient-Level Characteristics Associated With Unplanned Readmissions and In-Patient Mortality in Men and Women With Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy

The aims of the study were to (a) determine rates of early, late, and overall 30-day all-cause readmission for women and men with the diagnosis of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), (b) examine hospital- and patient-level characteristics associated with the risk of readmission and how these factors differed by sex, and (c) examine the association between sex and in-patient mortality during readmission. We conducted a multi-year cross-sectional analysis of adult (≥18 years) inpatient hospitalizations in the United States. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to describe the study population, stratified by sex. We then used Poisson regression with robust error variance estimation to estimate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that represented the associations between sex and likelihood of 30-day all-cause readmission and inpatient mortality. Among more than 116 million hospitalizations, there were 53,207 ACM-related hospitalizations (45,573 men and 7,634 women). Thirty-day all-cause readmission rates following an ACM-related index hospitalization were similar between men (20.3%) and women (20.5%). For men and women, cancer, hepatitis, chronic renal failure, cirrhosis, asthma, and anemia were associated with a higher risk of readmission. Although crude in-hospital mortality rates were higher among women (6.6%) than men (4.3%), there were no sex differences in mortality after adjusting for confounders (RR = 1.26, 95% CI [0.88, 1.81]). Although men are more likely to be hospitalized for ACM, readmission risk is high (approximately 20%) and is similar in men and women following hospitalization for ACM. Hospital care transition programs that include a multidisciplinary approach are needed to help prevent these readmissions and associated morbidity and mortality.

Association of Hospital Discharge Against Medical Advice With Readmission and In-Hospital Mortality

Hospital readmissions contribute to higher expenditures and may sometimes reflect suboptimal patient care. Individuals discharged against medical advice (AMA) are a vulnerable patient population and may have higher risk for readmission. To determine odds of readmission and mortality for patients discharged AMA vs all others, to characterize patient and hospital-level factors associated with readmissions, and to quantify their overall cost burden. Nationally representative, all-payer cohort study using the 2014 National Readmissions Database. Eligible index admissions were nonobstetrical/newborn hospitalizations for patients 18 years and older discharged between January 2014 and November 2014. Admissions were excluded if there was a missing primary diagnosis, discharge disposition, length of stay, or if the patient died during that hospitalization. Data were analyzed between January 2018 and June 2018. Discharge AMA and non-AMA discharge. Thirty-day all-cause readmission and in-hospital mortality rate. There were 19.9 million weighted index admissions, of which 1.5% resulted in an AMA discharge. Within the AMA cohort, 85% were younger than 65 years, 63% were male, 55% had Medicaid or other (including uninsured) coverage, and 39% were in the lowest income quartile. Thirty-day all-cause readmission was 21.0% vs 11.9% for AMA vs non-AMA discharge (P < .001), and 30-day in-hospital mortality was 2.5% vs 5.6% (P < .001), respectively. Individuals discharged AMA were more likely to be readmitted to a different hospital compared with non-AMA patients (43.0% vs 23.9%; P < .001). Of all 30-day readmissions, 19.0% occurred within the first day after AMA discharge vs 6.1% for non-AMA patients (P < .001). On multivariable regression, AMA discharge was associated with a 2.01 (95% CI, 1.97-2.05) increased adjusted odds of readmission and a 0.80 (95% CI, 0.74-0.87) decreased adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality compared with non-AMA discharge. Nationwide readmissions after AMA discharge accounted for more than 400 000 inpatient hospitalization days at a total cost of $822 million in 2014. Individuals discharged AMA have higher odds of 30-day readmission at significant cost to the health care system and lower in-hospital mortality rates compared with non-AMA patients. Patients discharged AMA are also more likely to be readmitted to different hospitals and to have earlier bounce-back readmissions, which may reflect dissatisfaction with their initial episode of care.

Temporal Trends in Racial Differences in 30-Day Readmission and Mortality Rates After Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Medicare Beneficiaries

The association of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) with reductions in racial disparities in 30-day outcomes for myocardial infarction (MI), is unknown, including whether this varies by HRRP hospital penalty status. To assess temporal trends in 30-day readmission and mortality rates among black and nonblack patients discharged after hospitalization for acute MI at low-performing and high-performing hospitals, as defined by readmission penalty status after HRRP implementation. This observational cohort analysis used data from the multicenter National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain-MI Registry centers that were subject to the first cycle of HRRP, between January 1, 2008, and November 30, 2016. All patients hospitalized with MI who were included in National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain-MI Registry were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from April 2018 to September 2019. Hospital performance category and race (black compared with nonblack patients). Centers were classified as high performing or low performing based on the excess readmission ratio (predicted to expected 30-day risk adjusted readmission rate) for MI during the first HRRP cycle (in October 2012). Thirty-day all-cause readmission and mortality rates. Among 753 hospitals that treated 155 397 patients with acute MI (of whom 11 280 [7.3%] were black), 399 hospitals (53.0%) were high performing. Thirty-day readmission rates declined over time in both black and nonblack patients (annualized 30-day readmission rate: 17.9% vs 20.8%). Black (compared with nonblack) race was associated with higher unadjusted odds of 30-day readmission in both low-performing and high-performing centers (odds ratios: before HRRP: low-performing hospitals, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.03-1.26]; P = .01; high-performing hospitals, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.04-1.32]; P = .01; after HRRP: low-performing hospitals, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.13-1.34]; P < .001; high-performing hospitals, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.12-1.39]; P < .001). However, these racial differences were not significant after adjustment for patient characteristics. The 30-day mortality rates declined significantly over time in nonblack patients, with stable (nonsignificant) temporal trends among black patients. Adjusted associations between race and 30-day mortality showed that 30-day mortality rates were significantly lower among black (compared with nonblack) patients in the low-performing hospitals (odds ratios: pre-HRRP, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.63-0.97]; P = .03; post-HRRP, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68-0.95]; P = .01) but not in high-performing hospitals. Finally, the association between race and 30-day outcomes did not vary after the HRRP period began in either high-performing or low-performing hospitals. In this analysis, 30-day readmission rates among patients with MI declined over time for both black and nonblack patients. Differences in race-specific 30-day readmission rates persisted but appeared to be attributable to patient-level factors. The 30-day mortality rates have declined for nonblack patients and remained stable among black patients. Implementation of the HRRP was not associated with improvement or worsening of racial disparities in readmission and mortality rates.

Comparing Outcomes and Costs of Medical Patients Treated at Major Teaching and Non-teaching Hospitals: A National Matched Analysis.

Teaching hospitals typically pioneer investment in new technology and cultivate workforce characteristics generally associated with better quality, but the value of this extra investment is unclear. Compare outcomes and costs between major teaching and non-teaching hospitals by closely matching on patient characteristics. Medicare patients at 339 major teaching hospitals (resident-to-bed (RTB) ratios ≥ 0.25); matched patient controls from 2439 non-teaching hospitals (RTB ratios < 0.05). Forty-three thousand nine hundred ninety pairs of patients (one from a major teaching hospital and one from a non-teaching hospital) admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 84,985 pairs admitted for heart failure (HF), and 74,947 pairs admitted for pneumonia (PNA). Treatment at major teaching hospitals versus non-teaching hospitals. Thirty-day all-cause mortality, readmissions, ICU utilization, costs, payments, and value expressed as extra cost for a 1% improvement in survival. Thirty-day mortality was lower in teaching than non-teaching hospitals (10.7% versus 12.0%, difference = - 1.3%, P < 0.0001). The paired cost difference (teaching - non-teaching) was $273 (P < 0.0001), yielding $211 per 1% mortality improvement. For the quintile of pairs with highest risk on admission, mortality differences were larger (24.6% versus 27.6%, difference = - 3.0%, P < 0.0001), and paired cost difference = $1289 (P < 0.0001), yielding $427 per 1% mortality improvement at 30 days. Readmissions and ICU utilization were lower in teaching hospitals (both P < 0.0001), but length of stay was longer (5.5 versus 5.1 days, P < 0.0001). Finally, individual results for AMI, HF, and PNA showed similar findings as in the combined results. Among Medicare patients admitted for common medical conditions, as admission risk of mortality increased, the absolute mortality benefit of treatment at teaching hospitals also increased, though accompanied by marginally higher cost. Major teaching hospitals appear to return good value for the extra resources used.

Race-Ethnic Disparities in 30-Day Readmission After Stroke Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the Florida Stroke Registry

Objective: To examine racial/ethnic disparities in 30-day all-cause readmission after stroke. Methods: Thirty-day all-cause readmission was compared by race/ethnicity among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged for ischemic stroke from hospitals in the Florida Stroke Registry from 2010 to 2013. We fit a Cox proportional hazards model that censored for death and adjusted for age, sex, length of stay, discharge home, and comorbidities to assess racial/ethnic differences in readmission. Results: Among 16,952 stroke patients (54% women, 75% white, 8% black, and 15% Hispanic), 30-day all-cause readmission was 15% (17.2% for blacks, 16.7% for Hispanics, 14.4% for whites, and 14.7% for others; P = .003). There was a median of 11 days between discharge and first readmission. In adjusted analyses, there was no significant difference in readmission for blacks (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.33), Hispanics (1.00, .90-1.13), and those of other race/ethnicity (.91, .71-1.16) compared with whites. Nearly 1 in 4 readmissions were attributable to acute cerebrovascular events: 16.6% ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, 1.5% hemorrhagic stroke, and 5.2% cerebral artery interventions. Interventions were more common among whites and those of other race than blacks and Hispanics (P = .029). Readmission due to pneumonia or urinary tract infection was 8.2%. Conclusions: Readmissions attributable to acute cerebrovascular events were common and generally occurred within 2 weeks of hospital discharge. Racial/ethnic disparities were present in readmissions for arterial interventions. Our results underscore the importance of postdischarge transitional care and the need for better secondary prevention strategies after ischemic stroke, particularly among minority populations.

Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on readmission after hospitalization for acute heart failure: A nationally representative US cohort study

BackgroundPatients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) are at high risk of readmission. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most prevalent comorbidities in this population. However, few data and only small studies describe the impact of COPD on the risk of readmission. Methods and resultsHospitalizations for HF were identified in the 2012 National Readmissions Database. We compared clinical characteristics and the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular (CV) and respiratory-related readmission for patients with and without COPD. We included 225,160 patients hospitalized for HF among whom 54,953 had comorbid COPD. Patients with COPD were younger (median age 76 years COPD versus 77 years without COPD; p < 0.001), had a higher burden of comorbidity and were more frequently male (53% versus 49%, p < 0.001). Thirty-day all-cause readmission risk was two-fold greater in patients with COPD compared to those without COPD (adjusted HR 2.02, 95%CI 1.97–2.08). Most readmissions were attributed to a CV cause, though fewer patients with COPD had a CV admission (49% versus 51% without COPD). COPD was independently associated with significantly more frequent unplanned respiratory-related readmission (adjusted HR 2.90, 95%CI 2.68–3.15) as well as CV readmission risk (adjusted HR 1.92, 95%CI 1.85–1.99). ConclusionsIn patients hospitalized for HF, most readmissions are due to a CV cause. However, patients with comorbid COPD are at a significantly elevated risk of respiratory in addition to CV-related readmission. These data stress the importance of a multidisciplinary management approach, including optimization of non-CV conditions, in order to reduce readmissions post index HF hospitalization.

Sex-based differences in outcomes, 30-day readmissions, and costs following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: the United States Nationwide Readmissions Database 2010–14

Although catheter ablation has emerged as an important therapy for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF), there are limited data on sex-based differences in outcomes. We sought to compare in-hospital outcomes and 30-day readmissions of women and men undergoing AF ablation. Using the United States Nationwide Readmissions Database, we analysed patients undergoing AF ablation between 2010 and 2014. Based on ICD-9-CM codes, we identified co-morbidities and outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression and inverse probability-weighting analysis were performed to assess female sex as a predictor of endpoints. Of 54597 study patients, 20623 (37.7%) were female. After adjustment for age, co-morbidities, and hospital factors, women had higher rates of any complication [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.39; P < 0.0001], cardiac perforation (aOR 1.39; P = 0.006), and bleeding/vascular complications (aOR 1.49; P < 0.0001). Thirty-day all-cause readmission rates were higher for women compared to men (13.4% vs. 9.4%; P < 0.0001). Female sex was independently associated with readmission for AF/atrial tachycardia (aOR 1.48; P < 0.0001), cardiac causes (aOR 1.40; P < 0.0001), and all causes (aOR 1.25; P < 0.0001). Similar findings were confirmed with inverse probability-weighting analysis. Despite increased complications and readmissions, total costs for AF ablation were lower for women than men due to decreased resource utilization. Independent of age, co-morbidities, and hospital factors, women have higher rates of complications and readmissions following AF ablation. Sex-based differences and disparities in the management of AF need to be explored to address these gaps in outcomes.

192. More Low-hanging Fruit: Antibiotic Chelation Drug Interactions

BackgroundAttainable, low-resource antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions, “low-hanging fruit” can be facilitated by electronic medical record (EMR) enhancements. Oral (PO) fluoroquinolone (FQ) or tetracycline (TCN) coadministration with di- and tri-valent cations reduces antibiotic absorption by up to 75%, is common, and may represent low-hanging fruit. We evaluated concomitant administration and outcomes in a five hospital system before and after an EMR medication safety improvement.MethodsIRB approved quasi-experiment, emergency (ED) visits and hospital admissions September 2016–February 2017 and September 2017–February 2018. Standard of Care: cations were scheduled 0900 and 2100; FQ and TCN administration instructions stated: “Administer at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after (cations).” Intervention: April 2017 EMR change in the default timing of FQ and TCN to 0630 and 1530 with pharmacy and nurse education. Primary endpoint: coadministration, defined as administration of PO product containing calcium, magnesium, iron, or phosphate binder 2 hours before or 6 hours after PO doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, or moxifloxacin.ResultsA total of 4,414 and 5,231 patients, representing 4,887 and 5,781 encounters, received PO FQ or TCN pre- and post-intervention, respectively. Average age (years) pre: 62.1, post: 61.3. Respiratory infection most common (25% pre, 27% post) followed by genitourinary (13% pre, 12% post). Concomitant administration: 3629/17,702, 20.5% pre vs. 2,184/20,524, 10.6% post (P < 0.001), see Table 1. Median hospital length of stay: 3 (0.3, 6) pre, 2.9 (0.3, 5.8) post. Thirty-day all-cause readmission: 28% pre and 27.2% post.ConclusionA system-based change to the EMR was effective to reduce the frequency of FQ and TCN chelation interactions by half and represents a low-hanging fruit strategy for AMS programs. Our institution has subsequently employed this strategy to reduce chelation interactions with HIV integrase inhibitors.Table 1: Coadministration by AntibioticPre-groupPost-groupDrugNo. of AdministrationsNo. (%) of CoadministrationsNo. of AdministrationsNo. (%) of CoadministrationsCiprofloxacin6,2091,394 (22.5%)6,721787 (11.7%)Moxifloxacin1,689392 (23.2%)1,378168 (12.2%)Doxycycline9,8041,843 (18.8%)12,4251,229 (9.9%)Disclosures S. L. Davis, Achaogen: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee. Allergan: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee. Melinta: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee. Nabriva: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee. Zavante: Scientific Advisor, Consulting fee.

EXHALED NITRIC OXIDE AND ASTHMA-COPD OVERLAP IN PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH EXACERBATIONS OF AIRWAY DISEASE: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS

SESSION TITLE: Obstructive Lung Diseases 3 SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/10/2018 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM PURPOSE: Approximately 1 in 12 individuals have asthma or COPD, so it should not be unusual for patients admitted with airway symptoms to have both diseases. Since clinical presentations of these diseases frequently overlap, diagnostic confusion may result. Furthermore, the clinical course of hospitalized exacerbations the two diseases or the overlap syndrome has not been clearly delineated. The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) which is considerably elevated in the eosinophilic inflammation of asthma may help differentiate these diseases. Accordingly, in this hypothesis-generated pilot study we measured FENO shortly after admission and compared this to the subsequent clinical course. METHODS: After IRB approval, adult current- or ex-smokers admitted to a community hospital with a clinical diagnosis of COPD exacerbation were studied. FENO was measured shortly after admission. These data were compared demographics, historical spirometric values, prior hospitalization history, hospital length of stay and 30-day readmission rate. All patients had received intravenous steroids and nebulized bronchodilators by the time of the FENO measurement. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were studied; 7 were females, age was 61 ± 6 years, length of stay (LOS) was 3.9 ± 1.4 days, and thirty-day all-cause readmissions rate was 46%. A concurrent diagnosis of asthma (besides COPD) was present in 46%. Of the 10 patients with spirometry from a clinically stable period, 7 had confirmation of COPD (FEV1/FVC < 0.70). FENO was 13 ± 12 ppb (range < 5 to 43). FENO was higher in those patients with concurrent diagnoses of asthma versus only COPD. (21 vs 7 ppb, respectively, p = 0.03). Those with FENO above the median of 10 ppb tended to have shorter lengths of stay (p = 0.07); FENO was not related to thirty day readmission. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data suggest that higher FENO levels after hospital admission for COPD exacerbations indicate a concurrent or alternate diagnosis of asthma. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This could help optimize management of symptomatic airways disease. Further studies with a larger patient population are necessary. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Palla De Silva, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Sophie Korzan, source=Web Response Advisory Committee Member relationship with Philips Respironics Please note: $1001 - $5000 Added 03/02/2018 by Richard ZuWallack, source=Web Response, value=Travel

Nonadherence to CPAP Associated With Increased 30-Day Hospital Readmissions.

The primary objective of this study was to determine if nonadherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is associated with increased 30-day all-cause, cardiovascular-cause, and pulmonary-cause hospital readmissions. Retrospective cohort study at a Veterans Affairs hospital of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who were hospitalized from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2015. Odds ratio of 30-day readmission was calculated for all-cause, cardiovascular-cause, and pulmonary-cause readmissions. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate odds of nonadherent versus adherent group while adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, living situation, race, comorbidities, and medication adherence. Out of 2,077 records reviewed, 345 patients (183 adherent and 162 nonadherent) met our inclusion criteria. The adherent group had a total of 215 initial admissions, and the nonadherent group had a total of 268 index admissions. Thirty-day all-cause readmission rate was significantly higher in the nonadherent group, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 3.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04-6.08, P < .001). Thirty-day cardiovascular-cause readmission rate was significantly higher in the nonadherent group, with an adjusted OR of 2.31 (95% CI, 1.11-4.78, P = .024). Difference in 30-day pulmonary-cause readmissions was not statistically significant, with an adjusted OR of 3.66 (95% CI, 0.41-32.76, P = .25). Nonadherence to CPAP is associated with increased 30-day all-cause and cardiovascular-cause readmission in patients with OSA. Ensuring CPAP adherence is crucial in addressing general and cardiovascular-related healthcare utilization and morbidity in patients with OSA. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 161.

Discharge home health services referral and 30-day all-cause readmission in older adults with heart failure.

IntroductionHeart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospital readmission. Medicare home health services provide intermittent skilled nursing care to homebound Medicare beneficiaries. We examined whether discharge home health referral is associated with a lower risk of 30-day all-cause readmission in HF.Material and methodsOf the 8049 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for acute HF and discharged alive from 106 Alabama hospitals, 6406 (76%) patients were not admitted from nursing homes and were discharged home without discharge hospice referrals. Of these, 1369 (21%) received a discharge home health referral. Using propensity scores for home health referral, we assembled a matched cohort of 1253 pairs of patients receiving and not receiving home health referrals, balanced on 33 baseline characteristics.ResultsThe 2506 matched patients had a mean age of 78 years, 61% were women, and 27% were African American. Thirty-day all-cause readmission occurred in 28% and 19% of matched patients receiving and not receiving home health referrals, respectively (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.52; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29–1.80; p < 0.001). Home health referral was also associated with a higher risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (HR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.58–3.41; p < 0.001) but not with 30-day HF readmission (HR = 1.28; 95% CI: 0.99–1.64; p = 0.056). HRs (95% CIs) for 1-year all-cause readmission, all-cause mortality, and HF readmission are 1.24 (1.13–1.36; p < 0.001), 1.37 (1.20–1.57; p < 0.001) and 1.09 (0.95–1.24; p = 0.216), respectively.ConclusionsHospitalized HF patients who received discharge home health services referral had a higher risk of 30-day and 1-year all-cause readmission and all-cause mortality, but not of HF readmission.

Digoxin and 30-Day All-Cause Readmission in Long-Term Care Residents Hospitalized for Heart Failure

BackgroundDigoxin use has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of 30-day all-cause hospital readmissions in older patients with heart failure (HF). In the current study, we examined this association among long-term care (LTC) residents hospitalized for HF. MethodsOf the 8049 Medicare beneficiaries discharged alive after hospitalization for HF from 106 Alabama hospitals, 545 (7%) were LTC residents, of which 227 (42%) received discharge prescriptions for digoxin. Propensity scores for digoxin use, estimated for each of the 545 patients, were used to assemble a matched cohort of 158 pairs of patients receiving and not receiving digoxin who were balanced on 29 baseline characteristics. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for outcomes associated with digoxin among matched patients were estimated using Cox regression models. ResultsMatched patients (n = 316) had a mean age of 83 years, 74% were women, and 18% African American. Thirty-day all-cause readmission occurred in 21% and 20% of patients receiving and not receiving digoxin, respectively (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.63-1.66). Digoxin had no association with all-cause mortality (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.48-1.70), HF readmission (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.38-2.12), or a combined endpoint of all-cause readmission or all-cause mortality (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.65-1.45) at 30 days. These associations remained unchanged at 1 year postdischarge. ConclusionsThe lack of an association between digoxin and 30-day all-cause readmission in older nursing home residents hospitalized for HF is intriguing and needs to be interpreted with caution given the small sample size.

Description and Impact Evaluation of a Statewide Collaboration to Reduce Preventable Hospital Readmissions.

This article describes how a Medicare-funded Quality Improvement Organization collaborated with a hospital association and multiple cross-continuum partners on a statewide effort to reduce hospital readmissions. Interventions included statewide education on quality improvement strategies and community-specific technical assistance on collaboration approaches, data collection and analysis, and selection and implementation of interventions. Fifteen communities, comprising 16 acute care hospitals, 119 nursing homes, 70 home health agencies, and 32 other health care or social service providers, actively participated over a 4.5-year period. Challenges included problems with end-of-life discussions (80.0%), physician engagement (70.0%), staffing (70.0%), and communication between settings (60.0%). Thirty-day all-cause readmission rates in fee-for-service Medicare patients decreased in most hospital service areas across the state (22/24), and the aggregate statewide readmission rate dropped from 15.2/1000 to 12.1/1000, a relative decrease of 20.3% ( P < .001). Despite these positive findings, the specific impact of this collaboration could not be determined because of multiple confounding interventions.

Heart Failure Readmission Reduction.

Little is known regarding effectiveness of readmission reduction programs over time. The Heart Failure Management Program (HFMP) of St. John's Physician Group Practice (PGP) Demonstration provided an opportunity to assess outcomes over an extended period. Data from an electronic health record, an inpatient database, a disease registry, and the Social Security Death Master File were analyzed for patients admitted with heart failure (HF) for 5 years before (Period 1) and 5 years after (Period 2) inception of PGP. HF admissions decreased (Period 1, 58.3/month; Period 2, 52.4/month, P = .007). Thirty-day all-cause readmission rate dropped from Period 1 (annual average 18.8% [668/3545]) to year 1 of Period 2 (16.9% [136/804], P = .04) and remained stable thereafter (annual average 16.8% [589/3503]). Thirty-day mortality rate was flat throughout. HFMP was associated with decreased readmissions, primarily related to outpatient case management, while mortality remained stable.

Survivorship of Primary Hip Arthroscopy in New York State - A Population-Based Study

Objectives:Hip arthroscopy utilization has significantly increased over the past decade, with annual rates increasing as much as 300-600% in that time period. While large sample data demonstrates significant improvement in clinical outcomes out to two years post-operatively, with low rates of associated post-operative complications, there is little information on the long-term survival of primary hip arthroscopy procedures. The purpose of this study is to report on the rates of revision hip arthroscopy and conversion to resurfacing or total hip arthroplasty (THA) following hip arthroscopy in the State of New York. We will also report on prognostic variables that may contribute to the need for repeat surgery.Methods:The Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database, a census of all hospital admissions and ambulatory surgery in New York State, was used to identify cases of outpatient primary hip arthroscopy. Demographic information was collected for these patients. After case identification, unique identifiers were utilized to identify those patients that underwent revision hip arthroscopy or subsequent ipsilateral hip resurfacing or THA. The risks of each of these outcomes were modeled with use of age, sex, socio-economic status, hospital and surgeon volume as potential risk factors. Patients were also tracked for 30-day and 90-day complications requiring re-admission.Results:We identified 8,267 hip arthroscopy cases from 1998-2012 performed by 295 surgeons in 137 different surgical centers. Demographics revealed that 46.1% of patients were male, with 80.2% carrying private insurance. Annual hip arthroscopy rates increased 88-fold over the observation period, with a 750% increase over the last 10 years. Revision surgery (scope or arthroplasty) was required in 1,087 cases (13.1%) at a mean of 622 ± 603 days. More specifically, revision hip arthroscopy was required in 310 cases (3.8%) at a mean of 649 ± 586 days after the index procedure, while conversion to either resurfacing or THA was required in 796 (9.7%) cases at an average of 616 ± 616 days. The 30-day complication rate, excluding revision surgery, was 0.2%, while the 90-day complication rate was 0.3%. Thirty-day all-cause re-admission rate was 0.7%. Regression analysis revealed that age > 50 y.o. was associated with increased risk of re-operation (Hazard Ratio[HR] 2.30; CI 2.02-2.62), while males carried a slightly lower risk of re-operation (HR 0.88, CI 0.78 -1.0). Additionally, increased surgical volume, for both surgeon and center (≥75th percentile of annual cases), resulted in a lower risk of re-operation (HR 0.64; CI 0.53-0.77; HR 0.61; CI 0.51-0.73).Conclusion:Hip arthroscopy represents a viable treatment option for femoroacetabular impingement, with low rates of revision surgery and conversion to hip arthroplasty. Age less than 50 and higher surgeon and center surgical volume were associated with lower risk of re-operation.

Thirty-day all-cause hospital readmissions - racial and income disparities and risk factors in a veterans integrated healthcare network

Hospital readmission rate has long been one of the most watched measures for hospital quality of care and possesses significant financial implications. On 1 October 2012, CMS started to reduce payments to the hospitals with excessive readmissions. The penalties implemented by CMS have rekindled extensive research activities centred on the fairness of the penalties owing to racial disparities for hospitals serving disadvantaged populations and on the interventions that can reduce readmissions. In this study, we found that no racial and income disparities exist in the Veterans Integrated Healthcare Network Upstate New York, which could have broader policy implications. We explored demographic and socioeconomic risk factors and found that unmarried patients were 19% more likely to be rehospitalised. Given more than half of the inpatients are unmarried, 19% more readmissions merit greater attention from hospital managers and policymakers alike.