Table 2.
Baseline Characteristics of the Study Population
| Characteristic | Cohort (N = 1363977) |
|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 79.9 (7.8) |
| Male, No. (%) | 568830 (41.7) |
| Race, No. (%) | |
| Black | 140972 (10.3) |
| Nonblack | 1223005 (89.7) |
| Length of index hospitalization, mean (SD), d | 5.4 (4.9) |
| Number of admissions 1 year before index hospitalization, mean (SD) | 1.2 (1.5) |
| Hospitalization costs 1 year before index hospitalization, mean (SD), $ | 9337 (16829) |
| Comorbid conditions and risks, No. (%) | |
| History of ischemic heart disease | 806871 (59.2) |
| History of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty | 68820 (5.0) |
| History of coronary artery bypass graft surgery | 48728 (3.6) |
| History of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator | 32524 (2.4) |
| Acute myocardial infarction | 148874 (10.9) |
| Unstable angina and other acute ischemic heart disease | 124761 (9.1) |
| Chronic atherosclerosis | 767491 (56.3) |
| Cardiorespiratory failure and shock | 155927 (11.4) |
| Valvular and rheumatic heart disease | 383835 (28.1) |
| Hypertension | 807119 (59.2) |
| Stroke | 42660 (3.1) |
| Renal failure | 252885 (18.5) |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 462917 (33.9) |
| Pneumonia | 258097 (18.9) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 501587 (36.8) |
| Dementia and major psychiatric disorders | 184790 (13.5) |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 212574 (15.6) |
| Metastatic cancer | 38307 (2.8) |
| Chronic liver disease | 15291 (1.1) |
| Specified heart arrhythmias | 639977 (46.9) |
| Other heart rhythm and conduction disorders | 206968 (15.2) |
| US geographic region, No. (%) | |
| Midwest | 376721 (27.6) |
| Northeast | 275366 (20.2) |
| South | 552234 (40.5) |
| West | 159656 (11.7) |