BACKGROUND: Limited data exist about relatively recent trends in the magnitude and characteristics of patients who are rehospitalized shortly after admission for a non ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). This observational study describes decade-long trends (1999-2009) in the magnitude and characteristics of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of hospitalization for an incident (initial) episode of NSTEMI.

METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 2,249 residents of the Worcester (MA) metropolitan area who were hospitalized for an initial NSTEMI in 6 biennial periods between 1999 and 2009 at 3 central MA medical centers.

RESULTS: The average age of our study population was 72 years, 90% were white, and 46% were women. The proportion of patients who were readmitted to the hospital for any cause within 30 days after discharge for a NSTEMI remained unchanged between 1999 and 2009 (approximately 15%) in both crude and multivariable adjusted analyses. Slight declines were observed for cardiovascular disease-related 30-day readmissions over the ten-year study period. Women, elderly patients, those with multiple chronic comorbidities, a prolonged index hospitalization, and patients who developed heart failure during their index hospitalization were at higher risk for being readmitted within 30-days than respective comparison groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Thirty day hospital readmission rates after hospital discharge for a first NSTEMI remained stable between 1999 and 2009. We identified several groups at higher risk for hospital readmission in whom further surveillance efforts and/or tailored educational and treatment approaches remain needed.