To evaluate the incidence and causes of rehospitalization within 1-year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a country where the National Health Service provides universal tax-supported health care, guaranteeing residents free hospital access.
Between January 2010 and September 2014, 17,111 patients were treated with PCI in two University Hospitals in Western Denmark. Patients who were readmitted within 1-year after PCI were identified. Overall 1-year readmission rate was 50.4%. The cause was angina/myocardial infarction (MI) in 4,282 patients (49.7%), and other reasons in 4,334 (50.3%). Predictors for angina/MI-related readmissions were female gender (odds ratio (OR) 1.15;95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.25), diabetes (OR 1.14;95% CI 1.04-1.26), age (per 10-year increase) (OR 0.86;95% CI 0.83-0.88), and indication for index PCI (stable angina pectoris as reference): ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (OR 1.34;95% CI 1.23-1.47) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (OR 1.18;95% CI 1.08-1.29). Predictors for other readmissions were female gender (OR 1.09;95% CI 1.01-1.18), diabetes (OR 1.29;95% CI 1.18-1.42), age (OR 1.30;95% CI 1.26-1.34) and Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 3 (OR 3.03;95% CI 2.71-3.27) Conclusions: In an unselected patient cohort treated with PCI, half of the patients were rehospitalized within 1-year, illuminating the impact of comorbidity in patients with ischemic heart disease.