Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also known as stress cardiomyopathy, is an acute but typically reversible condition characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction, often triggered by emotional or physical stress. Although interest in post-discharge outcomes is growing, large population-based studies examining TTS-related readmissions remain limited. This study aims to investigate the proportion and etiology of 30-day readmissions following hospitalization for TTS.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) from 2017 to 2022. Adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy were identified, excluding cases with acute coronary syndrome as the primary diagnosis. The primary outcome was unplanned all-cause 30-day readmission following discharge from the index TTS hospitalization.
Results
From 2017 to 2022, an estimated 113,409 index hospitalizations for TTS were identified. The mean age was 66.9 years (95% CI: 66.8–67.0), and 86.2% of patients were female. A total of 10,676 patients (9.4%) experienced at least one unplanned readmission within 30 days. Among these, 2,351 (22.0%) were due to heart failure (HF), while 8,325 (78.0%) were non-HF readmissions. From 2017 to 2022, the 30-day readmission rate following hospitalization for TTS demonstrated a modest decline, decreasing from 10.7% in 2017 to 9.7% in 2022 (p < 0.001, Figure). Infection or sepsis was the most common cause of non-HF readmissions. Patients readmitted for HF were older and had higher Elixhauser comorbidity scores compared to those readmitted for non-HF causes.
Conclusion
Our analysis demonstrates that nearly 10% of patients hospitalized with TTS are readmitted within 30 days, with the majority of readmissions being unrelated to heart failure. Infection and sepsis were the leading causes of non-HF readmissions, emphasizing the need for infection surveillance and preventive strategies in this vulnerable population.