Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the readmission of heart transplant recipients through survival analysis. Methods: We collected data from heart transplant recipients who were discharged after surgery between November 2005 and September 2020 from the electronic medical records of Y University Hospital in Seoul. The Kaplan-Meier estimation was utilized to calculate the survival rate, and Cox's proportional hazards model was employed to determine the factors influencing readmission within 1 year. Results: Out of 150 heart transplant recipients, 81 (54.0%) were readmitted within one year. The median time to readmission was 231 days. An increased duration of postoperative days was associated with a higher risk of readmission (p=.016). Groups with abnormal sodium levels (p<.001), those requiring postoperative hemodialysis (p=.013), patients with chronic kidney disease (p=.002), dyslipidemia (p=.040), or diabetes mellitus (p=.045) also faced higher readmission risks. In the final model, sodium levels (hazard ratio [HR]=2.31, p<.001) and chronic kidney disease (HR=1.67, p=.045) were significant risk factors for readmission (x² =31.90, p<.001). Conclusion: Interventions to improve kidney function and a multidisciplinary approach are needed to reduce readmission of heart transplant recipients.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and its influencing factors in Koreans with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
METHODS
One hundred and four participants were recruited from Severance hospital in Seoul, Korea. A PAD-specific quality of life questionnaire was used to measure HRQoL. The relevant knowledge, social support, and demographic and clinical characteristics were also measured. Descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.
RESULTS
The mean scores of PAD-related knowledge and social support were high, while those of the HRQoL were low. The HRQoL was significantly higher among university graduates than those who had completed only middle school, and among those with coronary artery disease. The HRQoL in patients with PAD was significantly correlated with duration of diagnosis, the Rutherford classification, rest pain, walking pain, medical staff support, and family support. It was significantly affected by walking pain, duration of diagnosis, medical staff support, and rest pain. The regression model accounted for 38.4% of the HRQoL in this study.
CONCLUSION
Pain and medical staff support might influence HRQoL among patients with PAD. Understanding the characteristics of HRQoL may be important in developing tailored management strategies to improve HRQoL among Koreans with PAD.

Citations

• The Relationships between Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors, Hopelessness, and Illness Acceptance Levels Diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease and Related Factors
  Dilara Şahan, Yakup Akyüz, Fatma Güneyi, Damla Coşar
  Annals of Vascular Surgery.2025; 115: 117.     CrossRef
• Health Literacy and Disease Knowledge of Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease or Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Scoping Review
  Goudje L. van Leeuwen, Maria-Annette Kooijman, Richte C.L. Schuurmann, Barbara L. van Leeuwen, Barbara C. van Munster, Hanneke van der Wal-Huisman, Jean-Paul P.M. de Vries
  European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.2024; 67(6): 935.     CrossRef
• A Scoping Review of Measurement Tools Evaluating Awareness and Disease-Related Knowledge in Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients
  Carolina Machado de Melo Felix, Danielle Aparecida Gomes Pereira, Maureen Pakosh, Lilian Pinto da Silva, Gabriela Lima de Melo Ghisi
  Journal of Clinical Medicine.2023; 13(1): 107.     CrossRef
• Relationship between Uncertainty and Health-related Quality of Life in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: The Mediating Effects of Sense of Coherence and Social Support
  Min-Yi Song, Min-Jeong Park
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2022; 29(3): 284.     CrossRef