Participant characteristics: readmitted versus not readmitted at 180 days (N=3006)
| 180-day readmission (N=1222) Mean (SD) or N (%) | No 180-day readmission (N=1784) Mean (SD) or N (%) | P value | |
| Demographics | |||
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 81.7 (5.06) | 81.4 (4.98) | 0.097 |
| Male sex | 658 (53.8) | 1013 (56.8) | 0.112 |
| Non-white race | 147 (12.0) | 170 (9.5) | 0.035 |
| Married/living as married or with partner | 577 (47.2) | 937 (52.5) | 0.004 |
| Medical history | |||
| Hypertension | 1082 (88.5) | 1484 (83.2) | <0.001 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 789 (64.6) | 1109 (62.2) | 0.180 |
| Arrhythmia | 370 (30.3) | 379 (21.2) | <0.001 |
| Heart failure | 330 (27.0) | 233 (13.1) | <0.001 |
| Prior myocardial infarction | 364 (29.8) | 455 (25.5) | 0.010 |
| Prior revascularisation procedure | 536 (43.9) | 684 (38.3) | 0.003 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 181 (14.8) | 182 (10.2) | <0.001 |
| Valvular disease | 194 (15.9) | 155 (8.7) | <0.001 |
| Stroke | 234 (19.1) | 234 (13.1) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 515 (42.1) | 601 (33.7) | <0.001 |
| COPD | 221 (18.1) | 205 (11.5) | <0.001 |
| Current or ever smoker | 693 (56.7) | 973 (54.5) | 0.217 |
| Presentation characteristics | |||
| STEMI | 285 (23.3) | 506 (28.4) | 0.002 |
| Chest pain as primary symptom | 493 (40.3) | 718 (40.2) | 0.913 |
| ≥6 hours from symptoms to presentation | 562 (46.0) | 709 (39.7) | <0.001 |
| Body mass index, mean (SD) | 27.4 (5.36) | 27.6 (5.31) | 0.329 |
| Killip Class II–IV | 220 (18.0) | 172 (9.6) | <0.001 |
| First systolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD) | 142.4 (30.81) | 148.3 (30.58) | <0.001 |
| First diastolic BP, mm Hg, mean (SD) | 76.2 (18.07) | 79.3 (17.33) | <0.001 |
| First heart rate, bpm, mean (SD) | 85.7 (22.53) | 82.1 (22.63) | <0.001 |
| Initial haemoglobin, mean (SD) | 12.4 (2.14) | 13.1 (1.98) | <0.001 |
| Initial WCC count, mean (SD) | 10.1 (6.23) | 9.3 (3.78) | <0.001 |
| eGFR, mean (SD) | 51.7 (20.65) | 56.6 (19.23) | <0.001 |
| TIMI score (NSTEMI), mean (SD) | 4.7 (1.19) | 4.6 (1.18) | 0.058 |
| TIMI score (STEMI), mean (SD) | 6.5 (1.87) | 5.9 (1.42) | <0.001 |
| GRACE ACS score, mean (SD) | 150.5 (23.21) | 142.0 (21.39) | <0.001 |
| In-hospital diagnostics, therapies and complications | |||
| Left ventricular ejection fraction | <0.001 | ||
| Normal (≥50%) | 542 (44.4) | 985 (55.2) | |
| Mildly reduced (40%–50%) | 247 (20.2) | 350 (19.6) | |
| Moderately reduced (30%–40%) | 187 (15.3) | 206 (11.5) | |
| Severely reduced (<30%) | 116 (9.5) | 96 (5.4) | |
| Medications within first 24 hours | |||
| Aspirin | 1160 (94.9) | 1716 (96.2) | 0.116 |
| Antiplatelet agent (P2Y12 inhibitor) | 719 (58.8) | 1154 (64.7) | 0.001 |
| Beta blocker | 945 (77.3) | 1420 (79.6) | 0.148 |
| Intravenous antithrombotic agent | 0.035 | ||
| No agent | 234 (19.1) | 281 (15.8) | |
| Single agent (heparin or bivalirudin) | 878 (71.8) | 1320 (74.0) | |
| Two agents (heparin or bivalirudin plus GP IIb/IIIa | 109 (8.9) | 183 (10.3) | |
| Revascularisation status | <0.001 | ||
| No cardiac catheterisation | 229 (18.7) | 229 (12.8) | |
| Cardiac catheterisation only | 229 (18.7) | 265 (14.9) | |
| Cardiac catheterisation with PCI | 633 (51.8) | 1067 (59.8) | |
| Coronary artery bypass graft surgery | 131 (10.7) | 223 (12.5) | |
| In-hospital complication: bleeding | 337 (27.6) | 436 (24.4) | 0.053 |
| In-hospital complication: acute kidney injury | 349 (28.6) | 343 (19.2) | <0.001 |
| In-hospital complication: heart failure | 219 (17.9) | 195 (10.9) | <0.001 |
| Functional impairments | |||
| Cognitive impairment (TICS) | <0.001 | ||
| No impairment (TICS ≥27) | 961 (78.6) | 1490 (83.5) | |
| Mild impairment (TICS 23–36) | 147 (12.0) | 167 (9.4) | |
| Moderate or severe impairment (TICS ≤22) | 96 (7.9) | 96 (5.4) | |
| Verbal fluency (total COWAT S words), mean (SD) | 9.3 (4.74) | 9.9 (4.78) | <0.001 |
| Clinically significant vision impairment (VFQ-25) | 121 (9.9) | 135 (7.6) | 0.024 |
| Clinically significant hearing impairment | 155 (12.7) | 249 (14.0) | 0.291 |
| Unintentional weight loss (>10 lbs. in 1 year) | 305 (25.0) | 366 (20.5) | 0.003 |
| ADL disability (any) | 198 (16.2) | 214 (12.0) | 0.001 |
| Multiple falls (>1 within past year) | 289 (23.6) | 304 (17.0) | <0.001 |
| Weak grip strength | 781 (63.9) | 1026 (57.5) | <0.001 |
| Functional mobility (based on Timed Up and Go) | <0.001 | ||
| Completed in ≤15 s | 263 (21.5) | 602 (33.7) | |
| Completed in >15 and ≤25 s | 233 (19.1) | 386 (21.6) | |
| Completed in >25 s | 223 (18.2) | 260 (14.6) | |
| Unable to complete | 290 (23.7) | 270 (15.1) | |
| Other measures | |||
| Short-Form 12: general health question (four categories) | <0.001 | ||
| Excellent or very good | 286 (23.4) | 556 (31.2) | |
| Good | 414 (33.9) | 692 (38.8) | |
| Fair | 357 (29.2) | 403 (22.6) | |
| Poor | 161 (13.2) | 131 (7.3) | |
| Depressive symptoms (PHQ-8 ≥10) | 222 (18.2) | 200 (11.2) | <0.001 |
For descriptive purposes, ‘impaired functional mobility’ defined as Timed Up and Go >15 s or unable to complete test.
Data missing for fewer than 5% of variables except for left ventricular ejection fraction (9.2%) and Timed Up and Go (15.9%).
ADL, activities of daily living; BP, blood pressure; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COWAT, Controlled Oral Word Association Test; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; NSTEMI, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; PHQ-8, Patient Health Questionnaire 8; STEMI, ST-elevation myocardial infarction; TICS, Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status; TIMI, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction; VFQ-25, Visual Function Questionnaire 25; WCC, white cell count.