Cognition predicts days-alive-out-of-hospital after LVAD implantation

Objective: Cognition influences hospitalization rates for a variety of patient groups but this association has not been examined in heart failure (HF) patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. We used cognition to predict days-alive-out-of-hospital (DAOH) in patients after LVAD surgery. Methods: We retrospectively identified 59 HF patients with cognitive assessment prior to LVAD. Cognitive tests of attention, memory, language, and visual motor speed were averaged into one score. DAOH was converted to a percentage based on total days from LVAD surgery to either heart transplant or 900 days post-LVAD. Variables significantly associated with DAOH in univariate analyses were included in a linear regression model to predict DAOH. Results: A linear regression model including LVAD type (continuous or pulsatile flow) and cognition significantly predicted DAOH (F(2,54) = 6.44, p = 0.003, R² =.19). Inspection of each variable revealed that cognition was a significant predictor in the model (β =.11, SE =.04, p = 0.007) but LVAD type was not (p = 0.08). Conclusions: Cognitive performance assessed prior to LVAD implantation predicted how much time patients spent out of the hospital following surgery. Further studies are warranted to identify the impact of pre-LVAD cognition on post-LVAD hospitalization.