Article

Patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure are at high
risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge. Since physical inactivity is
associated with increased health care utilization in other diseases, it may
predict rehospitalization in heart failure.
METHODS: In a single-center,
prospective study, physical activity was measured following hospital discharge
using an accelerometer on the wrist. We then related this activity to the 30-day
all-cause rehospitalization rate in heart failure. Each minute of activity was
dichotomized into higher or lower intensity, based on a threshold of 3000 vector
magnitude units. Counts above this threshold corresponded to a higher level of
physical activity. Logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were
used to relate the activity group to 30-day readmissions. RESULTS: Ninety-five
patients admitted to a heart failure unit were screened; 61 met inclusion
criteria and provided consent. Fifty patients were evaluated. Forty-six percent
were male, mean age was 71 +/- 15 years, and 46% had left ventricular ejection
fraction <40%. Thirty-day all-cause hospitalizations occurred in 13 of these 50
patients (26%). Sixty-six percent and 34% were dichotomized into the higher and
lower physical activity groups, respectively, over the first week; the latter
were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days, with an OR = 5.0 (95% CI,
1.3-19.1), P = .02. CONCLUSION: Physical inactivity is related to 30-day
all-cause readmissions for heart failure. Further studies are necessary to assess
causality and to determine whether treatments directed at increasing physical
activity could reduce readmission rate.

Langue : ANGLAIS