Geriatric nutritional risk index and 100-m walk achievement predict discharge to home in elderly patients with heart failure

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate factors relating to discharge to home of elderly patients with heart failure. Method: After applying exclusion criteria and excluding patients with missing data, 110 of 165 elderly patients with heart failure aged at least 75 years admitted to our institution were divided into discharge to home (n = 85) and non-discharge to home (n = 25) groups. Clinical characteristics, comorbidities, blood test data and echocardiographic data were retrospectively investigated and compared based on patients' medical records. Nutritional status was assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) upon admission and at 2 weeks after admission (2-week GNRI). Correlations with discharge to home were investigated using multiple logistic regression analysis with discharge to home as the dependent variable and parameters for which significant intergroup differences were observed as explanatory variables, when considering multicollinearity. Ratio scales selected by multiple logistic regression analysis were analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic curve and cut-off values were calculated. Results: Independent factors predicting discharge to home were 100-m walk achievement (P = 0.037; odds ratio [OR], 3.057; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.418–8.751) and 2-week GNRI (P = 0.006; OR, 1.083; 95% CI, 1.023–1.146). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for 2-week GNRI was 0.735 (95% CI, 0.622–0.847) with a cut-off value for 2-week GNRI to determine discharge to home of 75.29 (sensitivity, 78.8%; specificity, 60.0%). Conclusion: The present findings suggest that 100-m walk achievement and 2-week GNRI may be predictors for discharge to home in elderly patients with heart failure. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 1029–1035.