Predictors of Heart Failure Readmission in a High-Risk Primarily Hispanic Population in a Rural Setting

BACKGROUND: High risk for readmission in patients with heart failure (HF) is associated with Hispanic ethnicity, multimorbidity, smaller hospitals, and hospitals serving low-socioeconomic or heavily Hispanic regions and those with limited cardiac services. Information for hospitals caring primarily for such high-risk patients is lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with 30-day HF readmission after HF hospitalization in a rural, primarily Hispanic, low-socioeconomic, and underserved region. METHODS: Electronic medical records for all HF admissions within a 2-year period to a 107-bed hospital near the California-Mexico border were reviewed. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of readmission. RESULTS: A total of 189 unique patients had 30-day follow-up data. Patients were primarily Hispanic (71%), male (58%), and overweight or obese (82.5%) with 4 or more chronic conditions (83%) and a mean age of 68 years. The 30-day HF readmission rate was 5.3%. Early readmission was associated with history of HF, more previous emergency department (ED) and hospital visits, higher diastolic blood pressure and hypokalemia at presentation, shorter length of stay, and higher heart rate, diastolic blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation (AF) at discharge. Using logistic regression, previous 6-month ED visits (odds ratio, 1.5; P=.009) and AF at discharge (odds ratio, 5.7; P=.039) were identified as independent predictors of 30-day HF readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Previous ED use and AF at discharge predicted early HF readmission in a high-risk, primarily Hispanic, rural population in a low-socioeconomic region.