title: Rate and predictors of early readmission among Thai patients with heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Readmission to hospital after discharge has been recognized as a significant problem in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). No studies report rate of early readmission (defined as readmission within 30 days after discharge) and its predictors among Thai patients with CHE.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine rate and predictors of early readmission among Thai patients with heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  From an electronic medical database of a tertiary care hospital in Thailand, we retrieved data of all patients who were hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of CHF between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. Patients were followed whether they were readmitted within 30 days after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven hundred eighteen patients were included for analysis. Studied patients were mostly female (57.52%) with mean age of 64.91 +/- 14.14 (SD) years. The median length of hospital stay (LOS) was five days. One hundred one patients (14.07%) had their first readmission from all causes within 30 days after discharge. An exacerbation of CHF was the most common cause. In a multivariate model, only the LOS >5 days predict higher risk of early readmission (adjusted OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.05-1.89, p = 0.023). No significant association between discharge medications and early readmission was found in the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early readmission rates appear modest among Thai patients with CHFE The LOS > 5 days was a positive predictor of early readmission while discharge cardiovascular medications were not associated with early readmission.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Care Department, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand.
authors.forename: Kittipak
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jenghua
authors.forename: Arom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jedsadayanmata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors