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Abstract
Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and readmissions of AF patients place a huge burden on the healthcare system, including economically. With an increasing prevalence, the burden of AF will continue evolving. To illuminate the readmission-specific economic burden, we aim to provide quality evidence on the cost of readmissions within 30 days where AF has been the primary diagnosis at the index admission.
Methods and analysis We will conduct a systematic review of all peer-reviewed articles examining readmission costs for AF patients. We will search MedLine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus and Cochrane Library for articles written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals from inception to 2019. Reporting of this protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols checklist. Studies will be included if patients were aged 18 years and over, AF was the primary diagnosis of index admission and costs of readmission within 30 days were reported. Quality assessment of studies will be done using a modified Evers checklist. Study results will be summarised in a Forest plot and heterogeneity tested for using the Cochran’s Q and I2 statistic. A random-effects model will be applied for meta-analysis if studies are sufficiently homogeneous. The cost of readmission to hospital within 30 days for AF patients is the main outcome of interest while additional outcomes are 30-day readmission rate, predictors of readmission and predictors of readmission costs.
Ethics and dissemination Formal ethical approval is not required as no patients will be involved. Dissemination of results will be through a peer-reviewed publication.
PROSPERO registration number CRD42019132017
- systematic review protocol
- atrial fibrillation
- readmission
- cost
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Footnotes
Contributors T-JW, PS and BK conceived the idea and design of the protocol. T-JW designed the figure and wrote the first draft and is the guarantor of the manuscript. All authors read, provided feedback and approved the final written manuscript.
Funding T-JW is a recipient of an Honours scholarship from the Playford Memorial Trust Inc. and Fay Fuller Foundation. The funding source had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the protocol for publication.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Data availability statement All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information.