Patient selection: hospitalized patient discharged with parenteral nutrition or intravenous fluid administration
Outcome: unplanned 30-day readmission
Most readmissions were unrelated to the infusion therapy.
Risk factors for readmission by multivariate analysis:
(1)
heart disease
(2) elevated white blood cell count (WBC) at discharge
Factors associated with a lower readmission rate on univariate analysis:
(1) ostomy
(2) higher volume of parenteral nutrition at discharge
(3) small bowel resection
(4) short interval between nutrition consult and discharge
About a quarter were related to the infusion therapy, with reasons for readmission including:
(1)
dehydration
(2) intravenous catheter-associated infection
(3) catheter-related thrombosis
(4) hypoglycemia
(5) electrolyte abnormality