Abstract

Background: Patients with acute heart failure (AHF) often present with multiple comorbidities in addition to a history of heart failure. These comorbidities are closely associated with adverse clinical outcomes in AHF patients. The AHEAD score has been validated as a reliable prognostic tool for predicting clinical outcomes in AHF patients with multiple comorbid conditions. This study aims to: (1) Determine the all-cause readmission rate in AHF patients within three months post-discharge and (2) Evaluate the prognostic value of the AHEAD score in predicting short-term all-cause readmission in AHF patients.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with longitudinal follow-up was conducted on patients aged ≥18 years who were diagnosed with AHF and discharged from the Cardiology Center of Thong Nhat Hospital between January 2024 and August 2024. All patients were followed for 90 days post-discharge to assess all-cause readmission as the primary clinical outcome.

Results: A total of 321 patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with AHF were included in the study. The all-cause readmission rate within 90 days post-discharge was 34.89%. The readmission rates based on AHEAD scores were as follows: AHEAD score = 0: 4.88%; AHEAD = 1: 12.73%; AHEAD = 2: 29.35%; AHEAD = 3: 50.00%; AHEAD = 4: 69.23%; and AHEAD = 5: 75.00%. Compared to an AHEAD score of 0, the hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause readmission associated with AHEAD scores of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 1.07 (p = 0.286), 1.63 (p = 0.103), 2.19 (p = 0.028), 3.24 (p = 0.001), and 3.01 (p = 0.003), respectively.

Conclusion: The 90-day all-cause readmission rate post-discharge in AHF patients was 34.89%. Higher AHEAD scores were associated with an increased risk of readmission, particularly for patients with AHEAD scores of 3 or higher (p < 0.05).