Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries receiving ventricular assist devices in 2014 (N=1164).
| Characteristic | VADs receiving Medicare | Medicare CR nonparticipants | Medicare CR participants | p-value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All, n | 1164 | 816 (70%) | 348 (30%) | n/a |
| Demographic | ||||
| Age | 61.2 ± 11.8 | 60.7 ± 12.0 | 62.6 ± 11.2 | <0.01 |
| Sex | 0.35 | |||
| Female | 237 (20%) | 172 (21%) | 65 (19%) | -- |
| Male | 927 (80%) | 644 (79%) | 283 (81%) | -- |
| Race | 0.10 | |||
| White | 834 (72%) | 575 (70%) | 259 (74%) | -- |
| Black | 265 (23%) | 188 (23%) | 77 (22%) | -- |
| Other | 65 (5%) | 53 (7%) | 12 (4%) | -- |
| Median county income | $56,477 ±$14,986 | $56,077 ± $15,040 | $57,416 ± $14,836 | 0.11 |
| Census Region | <0.01 | |||
| Midwest | 302 (26%) | 187 (23%) | 115 (33%) | -- |
| Northeast | 209 (18%) | 157 (19%) | 52 (15%) | -- |
| South | 514 (44%) | 377 (46%) | 137 (39%) | -- |
| West | 139 (12%) | 95 (12%) | 44 (13%) | -- |
| Clinical | ||||
| CR program at VAD hospital | 1117 (96%) | 784 (96%) | 333 (96%) | 0.76 |
| Length of stay (days) | 33.8 ± 27.5 | 35.1 ± 29.7 | 30.9 ± 21.3 | 0.10 |
| Discharged to IRF or SNF | 363 (31%) | 244 (30%) | 119 (34%) | 0.15 |
| Cormorbidities | ||||
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 854 (73%) | 592 (73%) | 262 (75%) | 0.33 |
| Depression | 349 (30%) | 253 (31%) | 96 (28%) | 0.24 |
| Diabetes | 592 (51%) | 419 (51%) | 173 (50%) | 0.61 |
| Hypertension | 1019 (88%) | 713 (87%) | 306 (88%) | 0.79 |
| Hypothyroidism | 263 (23%) | 185 (23%) | 78 (22%) | 0.92 |
| Liver disease | 234 (20%) | 170 (21%) | 64 (18%) | 0.34 |
| Obesity | 391 (34%) | 267 (33%) | 124 (36%) | 0.34 |
| Other neurological disorders | 154 (13%) | 117 (14%) | 37 (11%) | 0.09 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 212 (18%) | 154 (19%) | 58 (17%) | 0.37 |
| Pulmonary circulation disorders | 703 (60%) | 479 (59%) | 224 (64%) | 0.07 |
| Renal failure | 790 (68%) | 535 (66%) | 255 (73%) | <0.01 |
| Weight loss | 367 (32%) | 255 (31%) | 112 (32%) | 0.75 |
| VADs receiving transplants within one year | 69 (6%) | 41 (5%) | 28 (8%) | <0.05 |
| One-year hospitalizations | 2.3 ± 2.2 | 2.4 ± 2.2 | 1.9 ± 2.1 | <0.05 |
| One-year mortality | 204 (18%) | 179 (22%) | 25 (7%) | <0.0001 |
VAD, ventricular assist device; CR, cardiac rehabilitation; IRF, inpatient rehabilitation facility; SNF, skilled nursing facility.
Values are displayed as mean ± standard deviation or n (percentage) unless otherwise noted.
*
All p-values obtained by Pearson Chi-Square test or Wilcoxon test.