One Quarter of Medicare Hospitalizations in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Readmitted within Thirty Days

Thirty-day hospital readmissions in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) approach proportions in Medicare-reported conditions including heart failure (HF). In this study from HIP Investigators Dr. Christie Bartels and Dr. Meggang Yu, they compared adjusted 30-day readmission and mortality among SLE, HF, and general Medicare to assess predictors informing readmission prevention.

This database study used a 20% sample of all US Medicare 2014 adult hospitalizations to compare risk of 30-day readmission and mortality among admissions with SLE, HF, and neither per discharge diagnoses. SLE admissions were younger, predominantly female, more likely to be Black, disabled, and have Medicaid or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Thirty-day SLE readmissions rivaled HF at 24%. The study emphasized that readmission prevention programs should engage young, ESRD patients with SLE and examine potential causal gaps in SLE care and transitions.