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Study links depression, anxiety to increased 30-day readmission rates after elective spine surgery
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CHICAGO — Depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders were independently correlated with an increased chance for readmission within 30 days of discharge after elective spine surgery, according to a presenter, here.
“Future interventions to reduce or address [readmission] should certainly take into consideration all the different components of mental health,” Owoicho Adogwa, MD, said during his presentation at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Meeting. According to a press release from AANS, the study won the association’s Robert Florin Resident Award.
Owoicho Adogwa
Adogwa and colleagues assessed the medical records of 400 patients who underwent elective spine surgery at a major academic medical center. Of the 400 patients, 107 patients had 1-year and 2-year patient-reported outcome data. According to the release, investigators identified unplanned readmission to the hospital within 30 days after discharge. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders was assessed. The primary outcome of the study was all causes for readmission within 30 days of discharge.
Results showed around 6% of patients needed to be readmitted to the hospital after 30 days of discharge. Adogwa said patients with psychiatric comorbidities had a three-fold greater readmission rate compared to patients without psychiatric comorbidities.
According to univariate analysis results, race, gender, BMI, patient age, smoking, diabetes and fusion levels correlated with an increased readmission rate at 30 days. According to the release, results of a multivariable logistic regression model indicated depression as an independent predictor for readmission within 30 days after discharge. Adogwa said patients with comorbidities were not significantly different than patients without comorbidities with regard to 1-year and 2-year patient-reported outcomes.
“Patients with the diagnosis of depression are four-times more likely to be readmitted within 30 days compared with patients without depression,” Adogwa said. – by Monica Jaramillo
References:
Adogwa O, et al. Paper #690. Presented at: American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting. April 30-May 4, 2016; Chicago.
Disclosure: Adogwa reports no relevant financial disclosures.