For a study, researchers sought to report the prevalence and features of nonelective 30-day readmission among adult patients hospitalized with acute gout and identify predictors of readmission. They looked at the 2017 National Readmissions Database. The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification code was used to identify hospitalizations for gout. Adult patients’ hospitalizations were included in the analysis. They did not include readmissions that were either scheduled or elective. They used 2 different methods to compare the baseline features of readmissions and index hospitalizations. To find independent determinants of readmissions, they employed multivariable Cox regression.
A total of 11,727 index adult hospitalizations were discharged alive and included, with acute gout recorded as the primary diagnosis. Within 30 days, there were 1,594 (13.6%) readmissions. The most prevalent cause of readmission was acute gout. When compared to index hospitalizations, readmissions had higher inpatient mortality (2.4% vs 0.1%, P=0.0001), a higher mean age (68.1 vs 67.0, P=0.021), and a longer hospital length of stay (5.9 vs 3.8 days, P<0.0001). Charlson Comorbidity Index scores of 2 (score 2: AHR, 1.67; P=0.001; score 3: AHR, 2.08; P<0.0001), APR-DRG (All Patients Refined Diagnosis Related Groups) severity levels 2 (level 2: AHR, 1.43; P=0.044; level 3: AHR, 1.83; P=0.002; level 4: AHR, 2.38; P=0.002), admission to metropolitan hospital (AHR, 1.83; P=0.012), atrial fibrillation (AHR, 1.31; P=0.004), and anemia (AHR, 1.30; P=0.001) were significantly associated with 30-day readmissions.
Compared to index hospitalizations, acute gout readmissions were linked with poorer outcomes. APR-DRG severity levels 2, Charlson Comorbidity Index scores 2, admission to a metropolitan hospital, atrial fibrillation, and anemia were all significant predictors of readmission.
