Mary Ayad, MD, Soheil Saadat, MD, Adewale Ajumobi, FACG Eisenhower Health, Rancho Mirage, CA Introduction: Cirrhosis is a resource-intensive condition with increasing prevalence and significant mortality. It accounts for over 650,000 hospitalizations and 325,000 emergency department (ED) visits annually in the U.S. Despite this high burden, data on ED visits and subsequent readmissions in cirrhosis remain limited. This single-center study aimed to characterize clinical and demographic factors associated with 30-day hospital readmission among patients with cirrhosis. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult patients with cirrhosis presenting to the ED between January and December 2022 at a large community teaching hospital. We performed secondary analysis of a prospectively collected cohort, examining 30-day readmissions. Demographics, insurance status, primary language, comorbidities, and outcomes such as in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and resource utilization (paracentesis, EGD, ICU stay) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results: Out of 688 patients with cirrhosis, 162 (23.5%) were readmitted within 30 days. Readmitted patients were more likely to be ≤65 years (59.9% vs. 48.5%), Hispanic (46.9% vs. 38.8%), and not living with a partner (61.5% vs. 56.0%). Spanish speakers had higher readmission rates than English speakers (19.8% vs. 16.0%). Paracentesis during the index admission was strongly associated with readmission (36.4% vs. 17.5%), while EGD was associated with reduced risk (8.0% vs. 12.5%). Insurance status showed meaningful differences: patients with publicly funded or income-based plans such as Medi-Cal, IEHP, and Health Net had among the highest readmission rates (50%, 26%, and 57%, respectively). In contrast, patients with commercial or Medicare-related plans had lower rates. Independent predictors of 30-day readmission included age ≤65 (OR 0.61, p = 0.010), paracentesis (OR 2.67, p < 0.001), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.03, p = 0.013). Discussion: Patients readmitted within 30 days were more likely to have received paracentesis and to be covered by public or income-based insurance. This highlights a vulnerable population requiring frequent outpatient scheduled paracentesis but facing limited follow-up access due to insurance barriers. Expanding outpatient paracentesis services and GI follow-up options for underserved cirrhotic patients is essential to reduce avoidable readmissions.
Disclosures: Mary Ayad indicated no relevant financial relationships. Soheil Saadat indicated no relevant financial relationships. Adewale Ajumobi indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Mary Ayad, MD, Soheil Saadat, MD, Adewale Ajumobi, FACG. P5789 - Uncovering Drivers of 30-Day Readmission in Cirrhosis: A Retrospective Single Center Analysis, ACG 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Phoenix, AZ: American College of Gastroenterology.
