Impact of left ventricular assist devices and heart transplants on acute myocardial infarction and heart failure mortality and readmission measures.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Concern has been raised about consequences of including patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplantation in readmission and mortality measures.

Methods

We calculated unadjusted and hospital-specific 30-day risk-standardized mortality (RSMR) and readmission (RSRR) rates for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with a primary diagnosis of AMI or HF discharged between July 2010 and June 2013. Hospitals were compared before and after excluding LVAD and heart transplantation patients. LVAD indication was measured.

Results

In the AMI mortality (n = 506,543) and readmission (n = 526,309) cohorts, 1,166 and 1,016 patients received an LVAD while 3 and 2 had a heart transplantation, respectively. In the HF mortality (n = 1,015,335) a

SUBMITTER: Brandt EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7098556 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature