Abstract
BACKGROUND: While prior research has provided important information about readmission rates following percutaneous coronary intervention, reports regarding charges and length of stay for readmission beyond 30 days post-discharge for patients in a large cohort are limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the rehospitalization of patients with acute coronary syndrome receiving percutaneous coronary intervention in a U.S. health benefit plan. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed administrative claims data from a large US managed care plan at index hospitalization, 30-days, and 31-days to 15-months rehospitalization. A valid Diagnosis Related Group code (version 24) associated with a PCI claim (codes 00.66, 36.0X, 929.73, 929.75, 929.78-929.82, 929.84, 929.95/6, and G0290/1) was required to be included in the study. Patients were also required to have an ACS diagnosis on the day of admission or within 30 days prior to the index PCI. ACS diagnoses were classified by the International Statistical Classification of Disease 9 (ICD-9-CM) codes 410.xx or 411.11. Patients with a history of transient ischemic attack or stroke were excluded from the study because of the focus only on ACS-PCI patients. A clopidogrel prescription claim was required within 60 days after hospitalization. RESULTS: Of the 6,687 ACS-PCI patients included in the study, 5,174 (77.4%) were male, 5,587 (83.6%) were <65 years old, 4,821 (72.1%) had hypertension, 5,176 (77.4%) had hyperlipidemia, and 1,777 (26.6%) had diabetes. At index hospitalization drug-eluting stents were the most frequently used: 5,534 (82.8%). Of the 4,384 patients who completed the 15-month follow-up, a total of 1,367 (31.2%) patients were rehospitalized for cardiovascular (CV)-related events, of which 811 (59.3%) were revascularization procedures: 13 (1.0%) for coronary artery bypass graft and 798 (58.4%) for PCI. In general, rehospitalizations associated with revascularization procedures cost more than other CV-related rehospitalizations. Patients rehospitalized for revascularization procedures had the shortest median time from post-index PCI to rehospitalization when compared to the patients who were rehospitalized for other CV-related events. CONCLUSIONS: For ACS patients who underwent PCI, revascularization procedures represented a large portion of rehospitalizations. Revascularization procedures appear to be the most frequent, most costly, and earliest cause for rehospitalization after ACS-PCI.