Evaluating the Prognostic Value of Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) Scores for 6-Month Readmissions in Southeast Asian Populations With Heart Failure

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent cause of hospital readmissions. Our study aims to determine the correlation between the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores and 6-month readmission in our Southeast Asian population.

Methods

We evaluated KCCQ-12 in a cohort of 180 patients at first post-discharge visit after a recent hospitalization for HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Logistic regression was used to determine the predictive significance of the KCCQ scores for 6-month HF readmission. The selection of predictive parameters was performed using Stepwise Akaike Information Criterion (StepAIC).

Results

Out of 180 patients, 52 (29%) were readmitted for HF within 6 months. The mean KCCQ score was higher in the non-readmitted group (78.5) compared to the readmitted group (69.7, p = 0.0129). Multivariate analysis indicated a significant association between higher KCCQ scores (better health status) and lower HF readmission rates (adjusted OR = 0.929, p = 0.0255). The initial predictive model, using patient demographic data, had an AUC score of 0.64. Integrating KCCQ scores with demographics, length of stay (LOS), medical history and discharge medication variables raised the AUC score to 0.82.

Conclusion

KCCQ scores recorded at first post-discharge encounter were found to have a significant relationship with 6-month readmissions in our cohort, suggesting that KCCQ scores can serve as an effective clinical indicator of 6 month readmissions.