Thirty-day readmissions among patients with cardiogenic shock who underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in the United States: Insights from the nationwide readmissions database

Background: There is a paucity of data on readmission rates and predictors of readmissions in cardiogenic shock patients after contemporary Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) use. Methods: Using the Nationwide Readmission Database, we included adult patients (≥18 years old) hospitalized between January to November 2016–2018 for cardiogenic shock requiring ECMO support. Thirty-day readmission rates, associated variables, and predictors of readmission were assessed. Results: A total of 10,723 patients underwent ECMO for cardiogenic shock. After excluding patients who died (n = 5602; 52%) and who underwent LVAD or OHT during index admission (n = 892; 8%), 4229 patients discharged alive were included. Of those, 694 (16.4%) were readmitted within 30 days. The median time to readmission was 10 days. Diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.77; 95% CI 1.32–2.37), chronic liver disease (OR = 1.35; 95% CI 1.03–1.77), and prolonged LOS (≥30 days; OR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.05–1.81) were associated with increased risk of 30-day readmissions while heart failure diagnosis (OR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.50–0.95) and short-term hospital post-discharge care (OR = 0.53; 95% CI 0.28–0.99) conferred a lower risk. Sepsis, followed by congestive heart failure, was the most common readmission diagnoses. Conclusions: Patients with CS requiring ECMO support have high mortality and high 30-day readmission rates, with sepsis being the leading cause of readmissions followed by heart failure.