Comparison between patients readmitted between days 0–14 and days 15–30 post-discharge
| Variable | Readmission 0–14 days (n=1773, 66%) | Readmission 15–30 days (n=918, 34%) | Significance |
| Age | |||
| Mean (SD) | 72.25 (14.72) | 70.74 (14.08) | p=0.01 |
| Range | 19–102 | 19–101 | |
| LOS | |||
| Median (IQR) | 6 (10) | 6 (9) | NS |
| Range | 0–178 | 0–153 | |
| Gender | |||
| Male, n (%) | 854 (48.2) | 454 (49.5) | NS |
| Female | 919 (51.8) | 464 (50.5) | |
| Chronic kidney disease (n=428) | 297 (16.75%) | 131 (14.27%) | p=0.09* |
| Dementia (n=134) | 96 (5.41%) | 38 (4.14%) | p=0.15* |
| Liver disease (n=25) | 17 (0.01%) | 8 (0.009%) | p=0.82 |
| Congestive cardiac failure (n=450) | 297 (16.75%) | 153 (16.67%) | p=0.55* |
| Non-metastatic cancer (n=438) | 292 (16.47%) | 146 (15.90%) | p=0.60* |
| COPD (n=968) | 615 (34.69%) | 353 (38.45%) | p=0.054* |
| Ischaemic heart disease (n=344) | 229 (12.92%) | 115 (12.53%) | p=0.74* |
| Mental health (n=270) | 173 (9.76%) | 97 (10.57%) | p=0.51* |
| Severe liver disease (n=10) | 5 (0.28%) | 5 (0.54%) | p=0.32† |
| Stroke (n=105) | 66 (3.72%) | 39 (4.25%) | p=0.50* |
| Pulmonary disease (n=556) | 349 (19.68%) | 207 (22.55%) | p=0.59* |
| Diabetes mellitus (n=563) | 363 (20.47%) | 200 (21.79%) | p=0.96* |
| Myocardial infarction (n=23) | 14 (0.79%) | 9 (0.98%) | p=0.66* |
| Diabetes with complications (n=39) | 26 (1.47%) | 13 (1.42%) | p=0.92* |
| Metastatic cancer (n=158) | 117 (6.60%) | 41 (4.47%) | p=0.02* |
| Learning disability (n=40) | 21 (1.18%) | 19 (2.07%) | p=0.07* |
*Χ2.
†Fisher’s exact test.
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; LOS, length of stay; NS, not significant.