Early Rehospitalization For Stroke Higher With Aspirin Or No Antithrombotic Therapy Than With Oral Anticoagulation In An Unselected Population Of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Rehospitalization after discharge for a wide variety of medical conditions is common and is associated with increased morbidity and cost. We investigated the rates of rehospitalization for stroke in a population of patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation (AF) who were at risk of stroke. Methods: Using the Premier Healthcare Database (representing 1 in 5 US hospital discharges), we identified 1,147,866 patients hospitalized from January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2015 with AF and a guideline indication for an oral anticoagulant based on a CHA2DS2-VaSC score ≥ 2. The primary outcome was readmission within 90 days due to acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare rehospitalization rates for patients receiving various oral antithrombotic therapies, while controlling for numerous patient risk factors, reasons for current hospitalization, and hospital characteristics. Confidence intervals and p-values were adjusted for m...