DASC-21 score and risk of rehospitalization and all-cause mortality after discharge in older patients with heart failure

AimThe impact of cognitive dysfunction-associated activities of daily living (ADL) on mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure has not yet been evaluated.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated DASC-21, the incidence of all-cause mortality, and rehospitalization for heart failure after discharge in 329 older patients with heart failure.ResultsThe mean age was 85.1 +/- 7.4 years (62.6% women). There were 110 cases of death from any cause (33.4%) during 25.5 +/- 16.1 months of follow-up and 166 cases of rehospitalization from heart failure (50.5%) during 16.1 +/- 15.2 months of follow-up. The DASC-21 score was not significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization. For each item of the DASC-21 questionnaire, defective route-finding (item 6) (HR = 2.631, P = 0.003), common sense and capacity for judgement (item 9) (HR = 1.717, P = 0.040), instrumental ADL (IADL) for shopping (item 10) (HR = 1.771, P = 0.020), and IADL for meal preparation (item 14) (HR = 1.790, P = 0.019) were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Disabilities in route finding (HR = 2.257, P = 0.005), IADL for shopping (HR = 1.632, P = 0.016), and IADL for transportation (HR = 1.537, P = 0.033) were significant risk factors for rehospitalization due to heart failure. Even in the multivariate-adjusted model, disability in defective route-finding was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.148, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.090-4.236; P = 0.027) and of rehospitalization for heart failure (HR = 2.138, 95% CI 1.153-3.963, P = 0.016).ConclusionsIn older patients hospitalized for heart failure, route disability was associated with all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure after discharge. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; center dot center dot: center dot center dot-center dot center dot. In older patients hospitalized for heart failure, DASC-21 score, especially basic activities of daily living (ADL), was significantly associated with in-hospital death, longer hospital stay, and lower quality of life. After discharge, instrumental ADL, especially disability in route-finding, was associated with risk of all-cause death and heart failure rehospitalization. image