Characterization of Patients Who Return to Hospital Following Discharge from Hospitalization for COVID-19.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06120-6
Authors: Somani, Sulaiman S; Richter, Felix; Fuster, Valentin; De Freitas, Jessica K; Naik, Nidhi; Sigel, Keith; , ; Bottinger, Erwin P; Levin, Matthew A; Fayad, Zahi; Just, Allan C; Charney, Alexander W; Zhao, Shan; Glicksberg, Benjamin S; Lala, Anuradha; Nadkarni, Girish N

Abstract: Data on patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who return to hospital after discharge are scarce. Characterization of these patients may inform post-hospitalization care. To describe clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 who returned to the emergency department (ED) or required readmission within 14 days of discharge. Retrospective cohort study of SARS-COV-2-positive patients with index hospitalization between February 27 and April 12, 2020, with ≥ 14-day follow-up. Significance was defined as P < 0.05 after multiplying P by 125 study-wide comparisons. Hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 discharged alive from five New York City hospitals. Readmission or return to ED following discharge. Return to hospital after admission for COVID-19 was infrequent within 14 days of discharge. The most common cause for return was respiratory distress. Patients who returned more likely had COPD and hypertension, shorter LOS on index-hospitalization, and lower rates of in-hospital treatment-dose anticoagulation. Future studies should focus on whether these comorbid conditions, longer LOS, and anticoagulation are associated with reduced readmissions.