Abstract
Introduction Elevated blood glucose has been linked to unfavorable
outcomes among individuals with heart failure (HF). Nevertheless, evidence is
scarce regarding the association between fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and
the likelihood of readmission within one year for elderly patients. To address
this gap, a retrospective cohort study was conducted, integrating electronic
health records of restricted health data from PhysioNet.
Methods The study focused on HF patients aged 60 years and older,
utilizing baseline data, comorbidities, and laboratory test results as
covariates. A total of 374 patients were included in the study. The relationship
between 1-year readmission rates and various glucose levels was assessed using
Kaplan-Meier plots. The analysis employed three multivariate Cox regression
models to examine patients with varying glucose levels.
Results Following adjustments for relevant factors, an association was
observed between FBG levels and the rate of readmission in elderly patients with
HF (HR=1.0264 [95% CI 0.9994–1.0541]). The diabetes
group faced a higher risk of readmission compared to the normal group. However,
this difference in outcome events was not statistically significant, with hazard
ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals of 1.2134
(0.9811~1.5007), 1.2393 (0.9993~1.5371), and 1.1905
(0.9570~1.4809), respectively. The robustness of the model was further
demonstrated through risk models with subgroup analysis, revealing that FBG
levels consistently exerted a stable effect on outcome events, unaffected by
covariates such as age, gender, body mass index, glomerular filtration rate, and
brain natriuretic peptide.
Conclusion These findings suggest a notable association between elevated
FBG at the time of initial hospitalization and the likelihood of readmission
within one year among elderly patients with HF.
Key words heart function - diabetes - cross-sectional study
