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. 2021 Aug 20;10(16):3715.
doi: 10.3390/jcm10163715.

Determinants of Prolonged Length of Hospital Stay of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Ancuța Elena Vîjan  1   2 , Ioana Cristina Daha  1   2 , Caterina Delcea  1   2 , Gheorghe-Andrei Dan  1   2
Affiliations

Determinants of Prolonged Length of Hospital Stay of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Ancuța Elena Vîjan et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background and aim: The increasing prevalence and high hospitalization rates make atrial fibrillation (AF) a significant healthcare strain. However, there are limited data regarding the length of hospital stay (LOS) of AF patients. Our purpose was to determine the main drivers of extended LOS of AF patients.

Methods: All AF patients, hospitalized consecutively in a tertiary cardiology center, from January 2018 to February 2020 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Readmissions were excluded. Prolonged LOS was defined as more than seven days (the upper limit of the third quartile).

Results: Our study included 949 AF patients, 52.9% females. The mean age was 72.5 ± 10.3 years. The median LOS was 4 days. A total of 28.7% had an extended LOS. Further, 82.9% patients had heart failure (HF). In multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of extended LOS were: acute coronary syndromes (ACS) (HR 4.60, 95% CI 1.66-12.69), infections (HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.44-3.23), NT-proBNP > 1986 ng/mL (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.37-2.82), acute decompensated HF (ADHF) (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.23-2.51), HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.15-2.47) and the HAS-BLED score (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.78).

Conclusion: ACS, ADHF, HFrEF, increased NT-proBNP levels, infections and elevated HAS-BLED were independent predictors of extended LOS, while specific clinical or therapeutical AF characteristics were not.

Keywords: HAS-BLED; atrial fibrillation; extended hospitalization; heart failure; length of hospital stay.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA consort flow diagram of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Incidence of prolonged LOS stratified by the CHA2DS2-VASc score.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Incidence of prolonged LOS stratified by the HAS-BLED score.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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