Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background: Each heart failure (HF) hospitalization is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, reduced quality of life, and extensive use of healthcare resources. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) frequently coexists with heart failure, exacerbating therapeutic outcomes and reducing patients' overall quality of life.
Hypothesis: IDA increases the rate of overall rehospitalization in HFrEF patients.
Aim: Assess the influence of IDA on rehospitalization rates among patients with HFrEF.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on adult patients at a Metroplex Health System in Arizona who had an ICD code of HFrEF between January 2016 and December 2017. The primary endpoint was all causes rehospitalization within 1- and 12-months post-discharge. The relationship between IDA and all causes rehospitalization was assessed using multivariate logistic regression, while adjusting for potential confounders.
Results: Among 1,083 patients diagnosed with HFrEF, 115 (10.62%) had IDA. The mean age (SD) and BMI (SD) of the IDA group were 64.02 (14.59) years and 29.62 (8.22) kg/m2, respectively, with 69.57% being male and 52.17% non-Hispanic white. After adjusting for age, race, gender, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and cerebrovascular disease, the competing risk survival analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in hospital readmission rates at 12 months for IDA (adjusted subhazard ratio [aSHR]: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.38-2.30, p < 0.001) and native American ethnicity (aSHR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.056-2.311 p = 0.026). While the rate of rehospitalization at 1 month did not achieve statistical significance (aSHR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.723-1.956, p = 0.491).
Conclusion: Patients with HFrEF and IDA have higher all-cause hospital readmission rates within 12 months, highlighting the importance of managing IDA in HFrEF treatment. Addressing IDA may reduce rehospitalization burden and improve long-term outcomes.