Predictors of Rehospitalization Among Elderly Patients Admitted to a Rehabilitation Hospital: The Role of Polypharmacy, Functional Status, and Length of Stay

Objectives Rehospitalizations for elderly patients are an increasing health care burden. Nonetheless, we have limited information on unplanned rehospitalizations and the related risk factors in elderly patients admitted to in-hospital rehabilitation facilities after an acute hospitalization. Setting In-hospital rehabilitation and aged care unit. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants Elderly patients 65 years or older admitted to an in-hospital rehabilitation hospital after an acute hospitalization between January 2004 and June 2011. Measurements The rate of 30-day unplanned rehospitalization to hospitals was recorded. Risk factors for unplanned rehospitalization were evaluated at rehabilitation admission: age, comorbidity, serum albumin, number of drugs, decline in functional status, delirium, Mini Mental State Examination score, and length of stay in the acute hospital. A multivariable Cox proportional regression model was used to identify the effect of these risk factors for time to event within the 30-day follow-up. Results Among 2735 patients, with a median age of 80 years (interquartile range 74–85), 98 (4%) were rehospitalized within 30 days. Independent predictors of 30-day unplanned rehospitalization were the use of 7 or more drugs (hazard ratio [HR], 3.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.62–9.54; P = .002) and a significant decline in functional status (56 points or more at the Barthel Index) compared with the month before hospital admission (HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.35–5.27; P = .005). Additionally, a length of stay in the acute hospital of 13 days or more carried a twofold higher risk of rehospitalization (HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.39–5.10); P = .003). Conclusions The rate of unplanned rehospitalization was low in this study. Polypharmacy, a significant worsening of functional status compared with the month before acute hospital admission, and hospital length of stay are important risk factors.