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BackgroundCoronary atherosclerosis raises the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and is usually included in AMI risk‐adjustment models. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) does not cause atherosclerosis, but may contribute to the notation of atherosclerosis in administrative claims. We investigated how adjustment for atherosclerosis affects rankings of hospitals that perform PCI. Methods and ResultsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 414 715 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for AMI between 2009 and 2011. The outcome was 30‐day mortality. Regression models determined the association between patient characteristics and mortality. Rankings of the 100 largest PCI and non‐PCI hospitals were assessed with and without atherosclerosis adjustment. Patients admitted to PCI hospitals or receiving interventional cardiology more frequently had an atherosclerosis diagnosis. In adjustment models, atherosclerosis was associated, implausibly, with a 42% reduction in odds of mortality (odds ratio=0.58, P

Early rehospitalization (1 pre-KT hospitalizations (aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17-1.49) were more likely to be rehospitalized. All three health status metrics and early rehospitalization were independently associated with post-KT mortality in a multivariable Cox model (adjusted hazard ratio for rehospitalization: 1.41, 95% CI 1.28-1.56).Pre-transplant metrics of health status, measured by dialysis providers or administrative data, are independently associated with early rehospitalization and mortality risk after KT. Transplant providers may consider utilizing metrics of pre-KT global health status as early signals of vulnerability when transitioning care after KT.