After IRB approval, we conducted a retrospective analysis analyzing all neurology and neuro intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted and readmitted to Mayo Clinic  within 30 days. We reviewed the following demographic characteristics: age, sex, length of stay, Charleston comorbidity index, ICU admission and discharge disposition and other covariates associated with readmission. We defined statistical significance as a P value <0.001.

Over a 4 year period, from January 2013 to December 2017, we studied a total of 4561 patients with 314 of these patients (6.9%) who were readmitted within 30 days.  Statistically significant factors associated with readmission included older age (median 68 years of age versus 60 years of age, P< 0.0001), longer initial length of stay (mean 4.9 days (SD 4.3) versus 4.0 days (SD 5.0), comorbid conditions of congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, dementia, pulmonary disease, ulcers, diabetes,  moderate to severe renal disease, cancer and metastatic tumors, brain tumors, hemiplegia and discharge to location other than home (e.g., skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation  P <0.0001). Factors not statistically significant associated with readmission include sex (male or female), mild liver disease, AIDS, rheumatic disease, and discharging service (neurocritical care or neurology).