Readmission rates and related factors in heart failure patients: A study in Lebanon

Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults in the United States and other developed countries. Readmission rates of heart failure patients is one of the key outcome performance measures used in evaluating the quality of care of these patients. In Lebanon, there are no published data on readmission of heart failure patients. The aim of the study was to examine the readmission rates of heart failure patients within 30, 60 and 90 days of discharge from the hospital, and factors associated with readmission. The medical records of all 187 patients admitted with heart failure to Rafic Hariri University Hospital in Beirut between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010 were reviewed. Data on demographic and relevant clinical variables were retrieved. Readmission rates were 15%, 22.2%, and 27.8% at 30, 60 and 90 days following discharge, respectively. The majority of readmissions (73.61%) were due to heart failure exacerbations. Significant predictors of readmission were: history of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, length of stay at the index admission and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase levels. Management of the patients did not always conform to the evidence based guidelines. The findings suggest the need for better adherence to clinical guidelines in caring for heart failure patients and improved documentation of discharge instructions.