Trends and causes of readmission following peripheral vascular intervention in patients with peripheral vascular disease.

OBJECTIVES: To study the risk factors associated with 30-readmission postperipheral vascular intervention (PVI) in peripheral artery disease (PAD).

BACKGROUND: There has been a paucity of data regarding the trend and predictors of PVI readmission.

METHODS: We performed an observational cohort study of patients admitted with peripheral vascular disease for PVI using the NRD for the years 2010-2014. PVI was defined as angioplasty, atherectomy, and/or stenting of lower limb vessels.

RESULTS: A total of 453,278 patients (30-day readmission n = 97,235). The mean age of study population was 68.6 ± 12.2 years and included 43.8% women. The 30-day readmission post-PVI (p = .034). Cardiovascular causes constitute 44% of readmission. Chronic limb ischemia and intermittent claudication were two most common cardiovascular causes constituting 11.7 and 4.9% cases of readmissions. Other cardiac causes of readmissions included heart failure (4.64%), dysrhythmias (1.4%), and acute myocardial infarction (1.7%). The high-risk factors for of all-cause 30-day readmission were hypertension, CLI, diabetes, renal failure, dyslipidemia, smoking, chronic pulmonary disease, and atrial fibrillation (p < .005). Length-of-stay was greater than 5 days for 56.2 and 75.4% paid by Medicare.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows an average yearly readmission rate of 21.5% post-PVI. Chronic comorbidities, prolonged hospitalization was associated with higher risk of 30-day readmission.