Non-pharmacological interventions, such as rehabilitation, are crucial for the treatment of people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Although several studies have shown rehabilitation is effective in improving the functional prognosis of PAD, there is currently insufficient evidence regarding its effect on readmission rates.

To examine the impact of rehabilitation on readmission rates for people with PAD.

A retrospective analysis of the JMDC hospital database was performed on data from two groups of people aged ≥20 years who were hospitalized between 2014 and 2020 with PAD, as based on a previous diagnosis. Participants were divided according to whether they did, or did not, receive any form of rehabilitation as part of their treatment in hospital. The primary outcome was readmission rates at 30, 60, 90, and 180 days after initial admission. A one-to-one propensity score matching was used to compare readmission rates between rehabilitation and non-rehabilitation groups.

We included 13,453 people with PAD, of whom 2701 pairs (5402 subjects) were selected after being matched in the rehabilitation and non-rehabilitation groups. The rehabilitation group participants had significantly lower mortality and readmission rates at 30, 60, 90, and 180 days. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for both groups were 0.79 (0.69–0.91; 30 days), 0.81 (0.71–0.91; 60 days), 0.78 (0.69–0.88; 90 days), and 0.79 (0.71–0.88; 180 days).

This large, nationwide study found that rehabilitation treatment during hospitalization was associated with lower readmission rates and mortality for people following hospitalization with PAD and supports its inclusion as a standard PAD treatment.