Associations between biomarkers at discharge and co-morbidities and risk of readmission after community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study

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  • Pelle Trier Petersen
  • Gertrud Baunbæk Egelund
  • Andreas Vestergaard Jensen
  • Stine Bang Andersen
  • Merete Frejstrup Pedersen
  • Gernot Rohde
  • Ravn, Pernille

To investigate whether hemoglobin, white blood cell count (WBC), urea, sodium, albumin, and C-reactive protein at discharge in patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are associated with 30-day readmission. This study is a retrospective cohort study, which included all adult patients discharged after hospitalization for CAP from three Danish hospitals between January 2011 and July 2012. The outcome was all-cause, unplanned, 30-day readmission. Biomarker concentrations at discharge were transformed into binary variables by using either upper or lower quartiles as cut-off; the upper quartile was used for WBC, urea, and C-reactive protein, and the lower quartile was used for hemoglobin, sodium, and albumin. The study population consisted of 1149 patients. One hundred eighty-four (16.0%) patients were readmitted. Independent risk factors of readmission were WBC ≥ 10.6 cells × 109/L (hazard ratio 1.50; 95% CI, 1.07-2.11) and albumin <32 g/L (hazard ratio 1.78; 95% CI, 1.24-2.54) at discharge and the presence of ≥ 2 co-morbidities (hazard ratio 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15-2.64). When WBC, albumin, and co-morbidities were combined into a risk-stratification tool, there was a step-wise increase in risk of readmission for patients with 1, 2, or 3 risk factors with hazard ratios of 1.76 (95% CI, 1.25-2.49), 2.59 (95% CI, 1.71-3.93), and 6.15 (95% CI 3.33-11.38), respectively. WBC ≥ 10.6 cells × 109/L and albumin < 32 g/L at discharge and the presence of ≥ 2 co-morbidities were independently associated with increased risk of 30-day readmission.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology
Volume37
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)1103-1111
Number of pages9
ISSN0934-9723
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

    Research areas

  • Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Biomarkers/analysis, Blood Cell Count, C-Reactive Protein/analysis, Cohort Studies, Community-Acquired Infections/diagnosis, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Discharge, Patient Outcome Assessment, Patient Readmission, Pneumonia/diagnosis, Retrospective Studies, Serum Albumin/analysis, Urea/analysis

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