Burden and impact of arrhythmias in asthma‐related hospitalizations: Insight from the national inpatient sample

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the burden and impact of cardiac arrhythmias in adult patients hospitalized with asthma exacerbation using the nationwide inpatient database. METHODS: We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2010‐2014) to identify arrhythmias in asthma‐related hospitalization and its impact on inpatient mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and hospitalization charges. We also used multivariable analysis to identify predictors of in‐hospital arrhythmia and mortality. RESULTS: We identified 12,988,129 patients hospitalized with primary diagnosis of asthma; among them, 2,014,459(16%) patients had cardiac arrhythmia. The most frequent arrhythmia identified is atrial fibrillation (AFib) (8.95%). The AFib and non‐AFib arrhythmia group had higher mortality (3.40% & 2.22% vs 0.74%), mean length of stay (LOS) (5.9 & 5.4 vs 4.2 days), and hospital charges ($53,172 & $51,105 vs $34,585) as compared to the non‐arrhythmia group (P < .005). Predictors of arrhythmia in asthma‐related hospitalization were history of PCI or CABG, valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure (CHF), and acute respiratory failure. Predictors of higher mortality in arrhythmia group were acute respiratory failure, sepsis, and acute myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Around 16% of adult patients hospitalized with asthma exacerbation experience arrythmia (mostly AFib 8.95%). The presence of arrhythmias was associated with higher in‐hospital mortality, LOS, and hospital charges in hospitalized asthmatics.