Abstract
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves anginal chest pain in most, but not all, treated patients. PCI is associated with unplanned readmission for angina and non-specific chest pain within 30-days of index PCI. Patients with an index hospitalization for PCI between January-November in each of the years 2010-2014 were included from the United States Nationwide Readmissions Database. Of 2 723 455 included patients, the 30-day unplanned readmission rate was 7.2% (n = 196 581, 42.3% female). This included 9.8% (n = 19 183) with angina and 11.1% (n = 21 714) with non-specific chest pain. The unplanned readmission group were younger (62.2 vs 65.1 years; P < 0.001), more likely to be females (41.0% vs 34.2%; P < 0.001), from the lowest quartile of household income (32.9% vs 31.2%; P < 0.001), have higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors or have index PCI performed for non-acute coronary syndromes (ACS) (OR:3.46, 95%CI 3.39-3.54). Factors associated with angina readmissions included female sex (OR:1.28, 95%CI 1.25-1.32), history of ischemic heart disease (IHD) (OR:3.28, 95%CI 2.95-3.66), coronary artery bypass grafts (OR:1.79, 95%CI 1.72-2.86), anaemia (OR:1.16, 95%CI 1.11-1.21), hypertension (OR:1.13, 95%CI 1.09, 1.17), and dyslipidemia (OR:1.10, 95%CI 1.06-1.14). Non-specific chest pain compared with angina readmissions were younger (mean difference 1.25 years, 95% CI 0.99, 1.50), more likely to be females (RR:1.13, 95%CI 1.10, 1.15) and have undergone PCI for non-ACS (RR:2.17, 95%CI 2.13, 2.21). Indications for PCI other than ACS have a greater likelihood of readmission with angina or non-specific chest pain at 30-days. Readmissions are more common in patients with modifiable risk factors, previous history of IHD and anaemia.