Factors Affecting Readmission in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery bypasses Surgery at Tehran Heart Center

Abstract Introduction: Despite the decline in mortality rates post coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), there are still high readmission rates during the first days after discharge, which is a multi-factorial issue. This study focuses on the identification of these factors. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2014, of the 2410 patients who underwent CABG in Tehran Heart Center, 1597 were eligible for inclusion in the study. Demographic characteristics and data related to surgery and post-operative complications were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Findings: The results showed that 9.1% of the patients were readmitted during the first 30 days after discharge due to different complaints. The most common complaints included pleural effusion (22.75%) and deep sternal infection, (11.7%). Regarding co-morbidities, 28.5%, 50.3%, and 55.5% of the patients had diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension, respectively. The mean interval between admission and surgery was 8.12±9.31 days, the mean interval between the incidence of clinical complaints and the operation was 20.32±14 days, and the mean interval between discharge and readmission was 15.24±7.08 days. Discussion & Conclusions: Readmission within 30 days post CABG occurs because of the important complications of this surgery. It seems that the main causes of readmission are patient’s general preoperative conditions, such as advanced age, co-morbidities, and general underlying conditions