Analysis of factors influencing early readmission after resection of primary rectal cancer

Purpose: Early readmission of patients who underwent resection for primary rectal cancer will raise social costs and resources for treatment and will affect the patients’ prognosis. Thus, analysis of the characteristics of readmitted patients should be done to find a way to reduce the readmission rate. Methods: The study enrolled 521 patients who were admitted and underwent low anterior resection for primary rectal cancer at Samsung medical center during the period from January 1st, 2010 to December 31st, 2010. The data of these patients regarding the related factors of readmission were collected retrospectively. For these related factors of readmission, we used univariate analysis by the chi-square test and multivariate analysis by the logistic regression test to find the odds ratio of the readmission rate. Results: Of 457 patients who meet inclusion criteria in the 521 patients, 22 patients (4.8%) were early readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Ten of these patients (45.5%) were readmitted due to adhesive ileus. Univariate and multivariate analyses for early readmitted patients showed that the readmission rate is significantly higher in the group of less than 65 years of age, had a history of smoking, had education less than elementary school, had an albumin level of less than 3.2 g/dL before discharge, and had complications during hospitalization. Conclusion: After surgery for rectal cancer, patients should be managed more carefully during hospitalization, and for the patients who have readmission risk factors, we should reinforce discharge criteria and education, curtail the period until the following outpatient clinic after discharge so that we may reduce the readmission rate after surgery.