Related Factors to Readmission of Heart Failure Patients at an Advanced General Hospital in Korea

Objectives: This study was to provide supporting data to identify related factors of heart failure patients readmission. Methods: This study is a retrospective study of secondary data analysis using electronic medical record of patients who were discharged from advanced general hospital diagnosed with heart failure from April 2017 to March 2020. Results: A total of 267 (14.4%) of 1,857 heart failure patients was readmitted. Age, initial body weight, body weight change, pulse rate, hospitalization for 6 months prior or emergency room visit, number of medications, blood sampling result, main diagnosis of ER, and ACEI/ARB medication were found to be significantly related to readmission. As a result of multivariate logistic regression analysis, each increase in the number of discharge medications, the readmission rate increased by 3.0% (OR = 1.030, p < 0.001). For each increase in Na level at admission and discharge, the readmission rate decreased by 5.4% (OR = 0.946, p = 0.021), 6.6% (OR = 0.934, p = 0.028). For each increase in the CRP level, the readmission rate decreased by 1.1% (OR = 0.989, p = 0.049) and AUC was 0.735. Conclusions: Based on the high-risk factors of readmission for heart failure patients identified in this study, patients centered nursing interventions should be developed to promote self-care practices.