Hospital Readmissions of Discharged Patients with COVID-19

• Published in: International journal of general medicine Vol. 13; pp. 1359 - 1366
• Main Authors: Parra, Lina Marcela, Cantero, Mireia, Morrás, Ignacio, Vallejo, Alberto, Diego, Itziar, Jiménez-Tejero, Elena, Múñez, Elena, Asensio, Ángel, Fermández-Cruz, Ana, Ramos-Martinez, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Anticoagulants; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; coronavirus; Coronaviruses; Corticosteroids; COVID-19; Disease; Epidemics; Fever; heparin; Hospitals; Hypertension; Infections; Laboratories; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Original Research; Oximetry; patient readmission; Patients; Pneumonia; pulmonary embolism; Pulmonary embolisms; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; viral; Spain; heparin; coronavirus; patient readmission; viral; pneumonia; pulmonary embolism
• ISSN: 1178-7074; 1178-7074
• DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S275775

To analyse the rate of occurrence and the clinical variables associated with readmission of patients who had previously been discharged after admission for COVID-19. University hospital in Madrid (Spain). Sixty-one patients (74% male) who presented COVID-19 were readmitted during the 3 weeks after discharge from hospital. Nested case-control study paired (1:1 ratio) by age, sex and period of admission. Rate of readmission rate of patients discharged after suffering COVID-19 and identification of the clinical variables associated with it. Out of 1368 patients who were discharged during the study period, 61 patients (4.4%) were readmitted. Immunocompromised patients (N=10.2%) were at increased risk for readmission (p=0.04). There was also a trend towards a higher probability of readmission in hypertensive patients (p=0.07). Cases had had a shorter hospital stay and a higher prevalence of fever during the 48 hours prior to discharge. There were no significant differences in oxygen levels measured at admission and discharge by pulse oximetry intra-subject or between the groups. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio at hospital admission tended to be higher in cases than in controls (p=0.06). Neither glucocorticoids nor anticoagulants prescribed at hospital discharge were associated with a lower readmission rate. Patients who were readmitted due to a thrombotic event (8 patients, 13.1%) presented a higher level of D-dimer at discharge of initial admission. The rate of readmission after discharge from hospital for COVID-19 was low. Immunocompromised patients and those presenting with fever during the 48 hours prior to discharge were at greater risk of readmission to hospital.