Frequency and predictors of 30-day readmission after an index hospitalization for generalized convulsive status epilepticus: A nationwide study

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the frequency and factors associated with all-cause 30-day readmission among patients hospitalized with generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) in a nationwide sample in the United States. Methods: We used The 2014 Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) as the data source. We included adults (age ≥ 18 years) with a primary discharge diagnosis of GCSE, identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code 345.3. We excluded patients who died during hospitalization and those who had missing information on the length of stay (LOS). We also excluded those discharged in December 2014. We computed the overall 30-day readmission rate and compared prespecified groups by their 30-day readmission status. We applied a multiple logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of all-cause 30-day readmission adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Among 14,562 (weighted 31,062) adults discharged with a diagnosis of GCSE, 2520 (17.3%) were readmitted within 30 days. In multivariate analysis, patients with comorbid conditions (odds ratio (OR) for Charlson Comorbidities Index (CCI) = 1 and ≥ 2 was 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–1.36 and 1.32, 95% CI: 1.17–1.48, respectively), LOS > 6 days (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.05–192), discharged against medical advice (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.09–1.92), or discharged to a short-term hospital (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.0–1.88), had higher odds of 30-day readmission, while there was an inverse association for those aged ≥ 45 years or with high income. Seizures were the most common cause associated with readmission, followed by sepsis and cerebrovascular diseases, respectively. Significance: Little is known about the frequency and predictors of early readmission after GCSE. This study showed that more than one in six patients with GCSE was readmitted within 30 days after discharge. More considerable attention to high-risk subgroups may identify opportunities to ameliorate the clinical outcome and lessen the economic burden of early readmission after GCSE.