Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience

Background: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the most common cause of hospital admission in patients over 65, with poorer outcomes demonstrated in rural versus metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to compare the in-hospital and post-discharge management of ADHF patients admitted...

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Main Authors: Chan, R.K., Dinh, D.T., Hare, D.L., Lockwood, S., Neil, C., Prior, David, Brennan, A., Lefkovits, J., Carruthers, H., Reid, Christopher, Driscoll, A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1136372
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93774
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author Chan, R.K.
Dinh, D.T.
Hare, D.L.
Lockwood, S.
Neil, C.
Prior, David
Brennan, A.
Lefkovits, J.
Carruthers, H.
Reid, Christopher
Driscoll, A.
author_facet Chan, R.K.
Dinh, D.T.
Hare, D.L.
Lockwood, S.
Neil, C.
Prior, David
Brennan, A.
Lefkovits, J.
Carruthers, H.
Reid, Christopher
Driscoll, A.
author_sort Chan, R.K.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Background: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the most common cause of hospital admission in patients over 65, with poorer outcomes demonstrated in rural versus metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to compare the in-hospital and post-discharge management of ADHF patients admitted to rural versus metropolitan hospitals in Victoria. Methods: Data from the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry, Heart Failure (VCOR-HF) project was used. This was a prospective, observational, non-randomised study of consecutive patients admitted to participating hospitals in Victoria, Australia, with ADHF as their primary diagnosis over four 30-day periods during consecutive years. All patients were followed up for 30 days post discharge. Results: 1,357 patients (1,260 metropolitan, 97 rural) were admitted to study hospitals with ADHF during the study periods. Cohorts were similar in age (average 76.87±13.12 yrs) and percentage of male gender (56.4% overall). Metropolitan patients were more likely to have diabetes (44.4% vs 34.0%, p=0.046), kidney disease (65.8% vs 37.1%, p<0.01) and anaemia (31.9% vs 19.6%, p=0.01). There was no significant difference in length of stay between metropolitan and rural patients (7.49 vs 6.37 days, p=0.12). There was no significant difference between metropolitan and rural patients in 30-day rehospitalisations (19.1% vs 11.6%, p=0.07, respectively) and all-cause 30-day mortality (8.2% vs 4.1%, p=0.15, respectively). Metropolitan patients were significantly more likely to have seen their general practitioner (GP) (68.1% vs 53.2%, p<0.01) or attend an outpatient clinic (35.9% vs 10.6%, p<0.01) by 30 days. There was no significant difference in number of days to follow-up of any kind between groups. Referrals to a heart failure home visiting program remained low overall (19.9%). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in 30-day rehospitalisations or mortality between patients admitted to rural versus metropolitan hospitals. Geographical discrepancies were noted in follow-up by 30 days, with significantly more metropolitan patients having seen a doctor by 30 days post-discharge. Overall follow-up rates remain suboptimal.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-937742024-01-09T07:50:51Z Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience Chan, R.K. Dinh, D.T. Hare, D.L. Lockwood, S. Neil, C. Prior, David Brennan, A. Lefkovits, J. Carruthers, H. Reid, Christopher Driscoll, A. Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems Cardiovascular System & Cardiology Congestive heart failure Rural health Regional health Readmissions HF-rEF HF-pEF OUTCOMES CARE PREVENTION PREVALENCE URBAN Congestive heart failure HF-pEF HF-rEF Readmissions Regional health Rural health Acute Disease Aftercare Aged Aged, 80 and over Heart Failure Humans Male Middle Aged Patient Discharge Prospective Studies Victoria VCOR-HF Investigators Humans Acute Disease Aftercare Patient Discharge Prospective Studies Aged Aged, 80 and over Middle Aged Victoria Male Heart Failure Background: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the most common cause of hospital admission in patients over 65, with poorer outcomes demonstrated in rural versus metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to compare the in-hospital and post-discharge management of ADHF patients admitted to rural versus metropolitan hospitals in Victoria. Methods: Data from the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry, Heart Failure (VCOR-HF) project was used. This was a prospective, observational, non-randomised study of consecutive patients admitted to participating hospitals in Victoria, Australia, with ADHF as their primary diagnosis over four 30-day periods during consecutive years. All patients were followed up for 30 days post discharge. Results: 1,357 patients (1,260 metropolitan, 97 rural) were admitted to study hospitals with ADHF during the study periods. Cohorts were similar in age (average 76.87±13.12 yrs) and percentage of male gender (56.4% overall). Metropolitan patients were more likely to have diabetes (44.4% vs 34.0%, p=0.046), kidney disease (65.8% vs 37.1%, p<0.01) and anaemia (31.9% vs 19.6%, p=0.01). There was no significant difference in length of stay between metropolitan and rural patients (7.49 vs 6.37 days, p=0.12). There was no significant difference between metropolitan and rural patients in 30-day rehospitalisations (19.1% vs 11.6%, p=0.07, respectively) and all-cause 30-day mortality (8.2% vs 4.1%, p=0.15, respectively). Metropolitan patients were significantly more likely to have seen their general practitioner (GP) (68.1% vs 53.2%, p<0.01) or attend an outpatient clinic (35.9% vs 10.6%, p<0.01) by 30 days. There was no significant difference in number of days to follow-up of any kind between groups. Referrals to a heart failure home visiting program remained low overall (19.9%). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in 30-day rehospitalisations or mortality between patients admitted to rural versus metropolitan hospitals. Geographical discrepancies were noted in follow-up by 30 days, with significantly more metropolitan patients having seen a doctor by 30 days post-discharge. Overall follow-up rates remain suboptimal. 2022 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93774 10.1016/j.hlc.2021.08.020 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1136372 ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC restricted
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Cardiovascular System & Cardiology
Congestive heart failure
Rural health
Regional health
Readmissions
HF-rEF
HF-pEF
OUTCOMES
CARE
PREVENTION
PREVALENCE
URBAN
Congestive heart failure
HF-pEF
HF-rEF
Readmissions
Regional health
Rural health
Acute Disease
Aftercare
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Heart Failure
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Discharge
Prospective Studies
Victoria
VCOR-HF Investigators
Humans
Acute Disease
Aftercare
Patient Discharge
Prospective Studies
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Middle Aged
Victoria
Male
Heart Failure
Chan, R.K.
Dinh, D.T.
Hare, D.L.
Lockwood, S.
Neil, C.
Prior, David
Brennan, A.
Lefkovits, J.
Carruthers, H.
Reid, Christopher
Driscoll, A.
Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title_full Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title_fullStr Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title_full_unstemmed Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title_short Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Rural Versus Metropolitan Settings: An Australian Experience
title_sort management of acute decompensated heart failure in rural versus metropolitan settings: an australian experience
topic Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Cardiovascular System & Cardiology
Congestive heart failure
Rural health
Regional health
Readmissions
HF-rEF
HF-pEF
OUTCOMES
CARE
PREVENTION
PREVALENCE
URBAN
Congestive heart failure
HF-pEF
HF-rEF
Readmissions
Regional health
Rural health
Acute Disease
Aftercare
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Heart Failure
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Discharge
Prospective Studies
Victoria
VCOR-HF Investigators
Humans
Acute Disease
Aftercare
Patient Discharge
Prospective Studies
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Middle Aged
Victoria
Male
Heart Failure
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1136372
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/93774