Hospital readmissions in decompensated cirrhotics: Factors pointing toward a prevention strategy

Table 3 Hospitalization characteristics n (%)

Index hospitalization
Complication of cirrhosis at index admission	Number of patients
Volume-related	64 (28.8)
Hepatic encephalopathy	61 (27.5)
Variceal bleeding	54 (24.3)
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis	27 (12.2)
Other or > 1 complication	16 (7.2)
	mean ± SD
Length of stay	7.2 (7.8)
MELD at admission	13.3 (7.7)
MELD at discharge	12.2 (7.5)
Readmissions	Number of patients
Readmitted with the same complication	88 (49.4)
Readmitted in one month	46 (20.7)
Cause of readmission
Hepatic encephalopathy	49 (35.5)
Volume-related	38 (27.5)
Variceal bleeding	31 (22.5)
Other or > 1 complication	12 (8.7)
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis	8 (5.8)

MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease.