Complications for racial and ethnic minority groups after total hip and knee replacement: a review of the literature

Association of risk factors with unfavorable outcomes after resection of adult benign intradural spine tumors and the effect of hospital volume on outcomes: an analysis of 18, 297 patients across 774 US hospitals using the National Inpatient Sample (2002−2011)

OBJECT

Because of the limited data available regarding the associations between risk factors and the effect of hospital case volume on outcomes after resection of intradural spine tumors, the authors attempted to identify these associations by using a large population-based database.

METHODS

Using the National Inpatient Sample database, the authors performed a retrospective cohort study that involved patients who underwent surgery for an intradural spinal tumor between 2002 and 2011. Using national estimates, they identified associations of patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and hospital characteristics with inpatient postoperative outcomes. In addition, the effect of hospital volume on unfavorable outcomes was investigated. Hospitals that performed fewer than 14 resections in adult patients with an intradural spine tumor between 2002 and 2011 were labeled as low-volume centers, whereas those that performed 14 or more operations in that period were classified as high-volume centers (HVCs). These cutoffs were based on the median number of resections performed by hospitals registered in the National Inpatient Sample during the study period.

RESULTS

Overall, 18,297 patients across 774 hospitals in the United States underwent surgery for an intradural spine tumor. The mean age of the cohort was 56.53 ± 16.28 years, and 63% were female. The inpatient postoperative risks included mortality (0.3%), discharge to rehabilitation (28.8%), prolonged length of stay (> 75th percentile) (20.0%), high-end hospital charges (> 75th percentile) (24.9%), wound complications (1.2%), cardiac complications (0.6%), deep vein thrombosis (1.4%), pulmonary embolism (2.1%), and neurological complications, including durai tears (2.4%). Undergoing surgery at an HVC was significantly associated with a decreased chance of inpatient mortality (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.16−0.98), unfavorable discharge (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.76−0.98), prolonged length of stay (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.62−0.77), high-end hospital charges (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.60−0.74), neurological complications (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.26−0.44), deep vein thrombosis (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45−0.94), wound complications (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.41−0.86), and gastrointestinal complications (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.46−0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide individualized estimates of the risks of postoperative complications based on patient demographics and comorbidities and hospital characteristics and shows a decreased risk for most unfavorable outcomes for those who underwent surgery at an HVC. These findings could be used as a tool for risk stratification, directing presurgical evaluation, assisting with surgical decision making, and strengthening referral systems for complex cases.

Risk for Complication after Total Joint Arthroplasty at a Center of Excellence: The Impact of Patient Travel Distance

Healthcare reorganization and bundled payment schemes have resulted in increased patient travel distances in orthopedics. Travel distance has been previously associated with increased complication risk but has yet to be studied in orthopedics. We analyzed the impact of patient travel distance on short-term complications. We reviewed 38,887 TJAs performed between 2008 and 2011 and identified 1606 complications in 1110 procedures. There was no significant association between complication risk and patient travel distance. Complication risk was associated with age, ASA class, Medicare and Medicaid status (P<0.0001 for all). Regional centers of excellence appear to be a viable model in healthcare reorganization however continued attention should be paid to attenuating the individual patient factors associated with complication at these institutions.

Reported characteristics of participants in physical therapy-related clinical trials

BACKGROUND

The inclusion of sociodemographic and anthropometric variables in published clinical trials enables physical therapists to determine the applicability of trial results to patients in their clinics.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the reporting of participant sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics in published physical therapy-related clinical trials.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective review of clinical trials from 2 samples drawn from literature applicable to physical therapy.

METHODS

Two reviewers independently extracted data from a random sample of 152 clinical trials from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and a purposive sample of 85 clinical trials published in the journal Physical Therapy (PTJ). A database containing the occurrence of sociodemographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity, level of education, marital status) and anthropometric variables (height, weight, body mass index) in each article was created to generate descriptive statistics about both samples.

RESULTS

Among the sociodemographic variables, at least 90% of articles reported the sex and age of trial participants. Additional sociodemographic characteristics that were reported in 20% to 26% of articles were participant level of education and participant race/ethnicity. The reporting of anthropometric data differed between the 2 samples, with body mass index being most commonly reported in the PEDro sample (48.0%) and weight being most commonly reported in the PTJ sample (38.8%).

LIMITATIONS

Articles reviewed were limited by year of publication (from 2008 to 2012 for PTJ articles and 2010 for clinical trials from PEDro) and to English-language-only literature.

CONCLUSIONS

The physical therapy literature would benefit from enhanced reporting requirements for both sociodemographic and anthropometric data about participants.

The potential influence of regionalization strategies on delivery of care for elective total joint arthroplasty

Regionalization of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) to high volume hospitals (HVHs) may affect access to care and complication risk. Using administrative data, 2,560,314 patients who underwent primary total hip or knee arthroplasty from 1991 to 2006 were categorized by whether an HVH (>200 annual TJAs) was available locally. Associations among patient characteristics, hospital utilization, and in-hospital complications were estimated using regression modeling. The complication risk was higher (Odds Ratio 1.18 [95% CI: 1.16, 1.20]) if patients went to a local low volume hospital. Black and Medicaid patients were more likely to utilize the local low volume hospital than a local HVH. Utilizing a local HVH is associated with lower complication risks. However, patients from vulnerable groups were less likely to utilize these patterns.

Lack of diversity in orthopaedic trials conducted in the United States

BACKGROUND

Several orthopaedic studies have suggested patient race and ethnicity to be important predictors of patient functional outcomes. This issue has also been emphasized by federal funding sources. However, the reporting of race and ethnicity has gained little attention in the orthopaedic literature. The objective of this study was to determine the percentage of orthopaedic randomized controlled clinical trials in the United States that included race and ethnicity data and to record the racial and ethnic distribution of patients enrolled in these trials.

METHODS

A systematic review of orthopaedic randomized controlled trials published from 2008 to 2011 was performed. The studies were identified through a manual search of thirty-two scientific journals, including all major orthopaedic journals as well as five leading medical journals. Only trials from the United States were included. The publication date, journal impact factor, orthopaedic subspecialty, ZIP code of the primary research site, number of enrolled patients, type of funding, and race and ethnicity of the study population were extracted from the identified studies.

RESULTS

A total of 158 randomized controlled trials with 37,625 enrolled patients matched the inclusion criteria. Only thirty-two studies (20.3%) included race or ethnicity with at least one descriptor. Government funding significantly increased the likelihood of reporting these factors (p &lt; 0.05). The percentages of Hispanic and African-American patients were extractable for studies with 7648 and 6591 enrolled patients, respectively. In those studies, 4.6% (352) of the patients were Hispanic and 6.2% (410) were African-American; these proportions were 3.5-fold and twofold lower, respectively, than those represented in the 2010 United States Census.

CONCLUSIONS

Few orthopaedic randomized controlled trials performed in the United States reported data on race or ethnicity. Among trials that did report demographic race or ethnicity data, the inclusion of minority patients was substantially lower than would be expected on the basis of census demographics. Failure to represent the true racial diversity may result in decreased generalizability of trial conclusions across clinical populations.

Weight patterns before and after total joint arthroplasty and characteristics associated with weight change

CONTEXT

Although prevalence of obesity and incidence of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have dramatically increased over the last two decades in the U.S., little is known of the preoperative and postoperative weight patterns of patients undergoing TJA.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the preoperative and postoperative weight patterns of patients undergoing TJA and evaluate characteristics associated with these patterns.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study. A cohort of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2010, was identified. Using weight obtained at patient encounters, patients were categorized into gainers (increased weight by 5%), losers (decreased weight by 5%), or remained the same (changed < 5%) for the preoperative and postoperative periods. Patients were characterized by sex, age, and race.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Weight change before and after TJA.

RESULTS

Of 30,632 patients with TJA identified, 34.5% underwent THA and 65.5% had TKA. Most patients remained the same weight during the year before (THA, 71.5%; TKA, 75.7%) and after the procedure (64.0% and 68.5%, respectively). Before and after THA, men were less likely to lose or gain weight than were women. Older patients were less likely to gain weight. Among patients undergoing TKA, men were less likely to lose weight preoperatively or postoperatively, or gain weight postoperatively, and older patients were less likely to gain weight before or after arthroplasty. Some racial associations with weight patterns were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Specific groups are more susceptible to weight change and could benefit from weight management interventions.

Impact of socioeconomic factors on outcome of total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Few data exist regarding the impact of socioeconomic factors on results of current TKA in young patients. Predictors of TKA outcomes have focused primarily on surgical technique, implant details, and individual patient clinical factors. The relative importance of these factors compared to patient socioeconomic status is not known.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

We determined whether (1) socioeconomic factors, (2) demographic factors, or (3) implant factors were associated with satisfaction and functional outcomes after TKA in young patients.

METHODS

We surveyed 661 patients (average age, 54 years; range, 18-60 years; 61% female) 1 to 4 years after undergoing modern primary TKA for noninflammatory arthritis at five orthopaedic centers. Data were collected by an independent third party with expertise in collecting healthcare data for state and federal agencies. We examined specific questions regarding satisfaction, pain, and function after TKA and socioeconomic (household income, education, employment) and demographic (sex, minority status) factors. Multivariable analysis was conducted to examine the relative importance of these factors for each outcome of interest.

RESULTS

Patients reporting incomes of less than USD 25,000 were less likely to be satisfied with TKA outcomes and more likely to have functional limitations after TKA than patients with higher incomes; no other socioeconomic factors were associated with satisfaction. Women were less likely to be satisfied and more likely to have functional limitations than men, and minority patients were more likely to have functional limitations than nonminority patients. Implants were not associated with outcomes after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Socioeconomic factors, in particular low income, are more strongly associated with satisfaction and functional outcomes in young patients after TKA than demographic or implant factors. Future studies should be directed to determining the causes of this association, and studies of clinical results after TKA should consider stratifying patients by socioeconomic status.

Mortality, cost, and downstream disease of total hip arthroplasty patients in the medicare population

The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in downstream cost and health outcomes between Medicare hip OA patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) and those who do not. All OA patients in the Medicare 5% sample (1998-2009) were separated into non-THA and THA groups. Differences in costs and risk ratios for mortality and new disease diagnoses were adjusted using logistic regression for age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, region, and Charlson score. Mortality, heart failure, depression, and diabetes were all reduced in the THA group, though there was an increased risk for atherosclerosis in the short term. The potential for selection bias was investigated with two separate propensity score analyses. This study demonstrates the potential benefit of THA in reducing mortality and improving aspects of overall health in OA patients.

Risk factors for total knee arthroplasty aseptic revision

Using a Total Joint Replacement Registry, patient, operative, implant, surgeon, and hospital risk factors associated with aseptic revision after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were evaluated. From 04/2001 to 12/31/2010 64,017 primary TKA cases, followed for a median time of 2.9 years, were registered and included in the analysis. Patients were predominantly female, white, with osteoarthritis, and obese. The crude aseptic revision rate is 1.3% (N=826). The cumulative survival for aseptic revision at 8 years is 97.6% (95% CI 97.3%-97.8%). Adjusted models revealed that age, race, body mass index, diabetic status, bilateral procedures, high-flex implants, and the LCS mobile bearing knee are associated with risk of revision. Gender, general health status, diagnosis, surgeon fellowship training, surgeon volume, hospital volume, fixation, and bearing surface material were not associated with risk of aseptic revision. Recognition of surgical factors associated with TKA failures can help the surgeons with their choices of surgical techniques and implants.

Results with 98 Endo-Modell rotating hinge prostheses for primary knee arthroplasty

Rotating hinge knee prostheses have been developed as an advancement of the fixed hinge models. Some authors suggest that this type of prosthesis is associated with a greater risk of aseptic loosening because of the increased stresses to the bone-prosthesis interface; therefore, they are scarcely used as primary implants. The current authors evaluated of a series of 98 rotating hinge knee arthroplasties Endo-Modell (Waldemar LINK GmbH and Co, Hamburg, Germany) implanted for knee osteoarthritis. The Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Score and the Knee Society Score were used for the clinical and radiographic evaluation. Log-rank or Wilcoxon tests were used to test the statistical significances, and the Kaplan-Maier method was used to calculate the implant survival probability. After a medium follow-up of approximately 174 months, the clinical scores showed a statistically significant improvement from the pre- to postoperative period. The complication rate was high, and the cumulative implants survival rate was 88.7% at 1 year, 85.9% at 5 years, 79.8% at 10 years, and 75.8% at 15 years. The Endo-Modell rotating hinge implants demonstrated no significant risk of aseptic loosening, and the hinge was not a primary cause of failure. However, the overall failure rate was higher than that of unhinged implants; therefore, this prosthesis is recommended for cases of instability and revision rather than primary knee arthroplasty.

Immediate complications following hip and knee arthroplasty: does race matter?

Black race has been associated with a higher rate of complications following total joint arthroplasty, such as infection, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and death. We hypothesized that there would be no significant association between black race and adverse outcome when medical conditions were adjusted for. Data on 585,269 patients from the Nationwide Inpatient Samples were assessed by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Black race was significantly associated with postoperative complication and death. Comorbidities do not account for racial differences in adverse events. Black race was an independent predictive factor for increased complications and death following hip and knee arthroplasty.

Patient race and surgical outcomes after total knee arthroplasty: an analysis of a large regional database

OBJECTIVE

To examine racial differences in surgical complications, mortality, and revision rates after total knee arthroplasty.

METHODS

We studied patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty using 2001-2007 Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council data. We conducted bivariate analyses to assess the risk of complications such as myocardial infarction, venous thromboembolism, wound infections, and failure of prosthesis, as well as 30-day and 1-year overall mortality after elective total knee arthroplasty, between racial groups. We estimated Kaplan-Meier 1- and 5-year surgical revision rates, and fit multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to compare surgical revision by race, incorporating 5 years of followup. We adjusted for patient age, sex, length of hospital stay, surgical risk of death, type of health insurance, hospital surgical volume, and hospital teaching status.

RESULTS

In unadjusted analyses, there were no significant differences by racial group for either overall 30-day or in-hospital complication rates, or 30-day and 1-year mortality rates. Adjusted Cox models incorporating 5 years of followup showed an increased risk of revisions for African American patients (hazard ratio [HR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.08-1.80), younger patients (HR 2.30, 95% CI 1.96-2.69), and lower risk for female patients (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.71-0.92).

CONCLUSION

In this sample of patients who underwent knee arthroplasty, we found no significant racial differences in major complication rates or mortality. However, African American patients, younger patients, and male patients all had significantly higher rates of revision based on 5 years of followup.

No influence of immigrant background on the outcome of total hip arthroplasty. 140,299 patients born in Sweden and 11,539 immigrants in the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Total Hip Replacement (THA) is one of the most successful and cost-effective operations. Despite its benefits, marked ethnic differences in the utilization of THA are well documented. However, very little has been published on the influence of ethnicity on outcome. We investigate whether the outcome-in terms of reoperation within 2 years or revision up to 14 years after the primary operation-varies depending on ethnic background.

METHODS

Records of total hip arthroplasties performed between 1992 and 2007 were retrieved from the Swedish Hip Arthropalsty Registry and integrated with data on ethnicity of patients from 2 demographical databases (i.e. Patient Register and Statistics Sweden). The first operated side in patients with THA recorded in the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register (SHAR) between 1992 and 2007 were generally included. We excluded patients with 1 Swedish and 1 non-Swedish parent and patients born abroad with 2 Swedish parents. After these exclusions 151,838 patients were left for analysis. There were 11,539 Swedish patients born outside Sweden. We used a Cox regression model including age, sex, diagnosis, type of fixation, whether or not there was comorbidity according to Elixhauser or not, marital status and educational level.

RESULTS

The mean age was lowest in the group of patient coming from outside Europe including the former Soviet Union (61 years), and highest in the Swedish population (70 years). Before adjustment, for covariates, patients born in Europe outside the Nordic countries showed a lower risk to undergo early reoperation (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.97), which increased after adjustment to (HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58-1.01). Before adjustment, patients born in the Nordic countries outside Sweden and those born outside Europe (including the former Soviet Union) showed a higher risk to undergo revision than patients born in Sweden (HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.27; HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.2-1.9), but this difference disappeared after adjustment for covariates.

CONCLUSION

We did not find any certain differences in reoperation within 2 years, or revision within 14 years, between patients born in Sweden and immigrants. Further studies are needed to determine whether our observations are biased by the attitude of health providers regarding performance of these procedures, or by a reluctance of certain patient groups to seek medical attention should any complications requiring reoperation or revision occur.

Race/ethnicity and use of elective joint replacement in the management of end-stage knee/hip osteoarthritis: a review of the literature

Although much research has documented disparities exist for utilization of TJA, additional studies have shown that we have not narrowed the gap. Because multiple studies have shown that insurance and access to care are not necessarily underlying causes for these disparities, other studies have shown that there are real and significant differences between racial/ethnic groups in preferences for and expectations of joint arthroplasty. Additional research has established there are racial differences in certain postoperative processes and outcomes. Reasons have not been elucidated, but highlight the need for more research to understand these differences, their causes, and then to design interventions to minimize these inequalities.

The effect of race on outcomes of surgical or nonsurgical treatment of patients in the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT)

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review of the data collected prospectively through the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT).

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect that race or ethnicity had on outcomes after spine surgery in the 3 arms of SPORT.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

There is a dearth of research regarding the effect of race or ethnicity on outcome after treatment of spinal disorders.

METHODS

All participants from the 3 arms of the SPORT were evaluated in an as-treated analysis, with patients categorized as white, black, or other. Baseline and operative characteristics of the groups were compared using the χ test and analysis of variance. Differences in the changes between baseline and 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year time points in the operative and nonoperative treatments were evaluated with a mixed effects longitudinal regression model, and differences between racial groups were compared with a multiple degrees of freedom Wald test.

RESULTS

A total of 2427 patients (85% white, 8% black, and 7% other) were included. Surgery was performed on 67% of white patients, 54% of blacks, and 68% of others. Whites and others were significantly more likely to undergo surgery than blacks (67% and 68% vs. 54%, P = 0.003). Complications and the risk of additional surgeries were not significantly different between racial groups. Regardless of race, all patients improved more with surgical management than with nonoperative treatment for all outcome measures at all time points. The average 4-year area-under-the-curve results revealed surgical and nonoperative treatment resulted in statistically significant improvement in whites relative to blacks for SF-36 bodily pain (P < 0.001), physical function (P < 0.001), and Oswestry Disability Index (P < 0.001). No significant differences were noted in treatment effect for primary outcome measures or self-rated progress across racial groups.

CONCLUSION

These results illustrate important differences between racial groups in terms of response to spine care. Although there were quantitative differences between groups, these findings are not necessarily indications of health care disparities.

Race may not affect [correct] outcomes in operatively treated tibia fractures

BACKGROUND

A recent review of the literature found worse outcomes and longer length of stay for minorities undergoing TKAs and THAs when compared with whites. It is unclear if this association exists for the operative treatment of tibia fractures.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a difference in etiology or the rate of complications for operative treatment of tibia fractures as a function of racial heritage. Secondary objectives include definition of etiology, mechanism, and fracture location as a function of race in the urban setting, and an attempt to determine if differences in etiology or complications depend on race and fracture location for tibial plateau or shaft fractures.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted at our Level 1 urban trauma center from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2009 using ICD-9 code 823 to identify patients with tibia fractures. Charts were reviewed to confirm operative intervention, location of fracture, mechanism, demographic data, length of stay, and complications (infection, reoperation, compartment syndrome, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, death).

RESULTS

There was no difference in the rate of infection within 90 days with respect to race. There also was no difference in the rate of reoperation, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, mortality, and length of stay between white patients and minority patients. Subgroup analysis showed no difference in the rate of infection for plateau or shaft fractures. Compartment syndrome was more frequent in white patients, specifically white patients with tibia shaft fractures. Minority patients were more likely to have a gunshot wound as a mechanism of injury.

CONCLUSION

With the possible exception of an increased risk of compartment syndrome in white patients, there is no difference in outcomes with respect to race for operatively treated tibia fractures, regardless of fracture location. Gunshot wounds have become an increasingly prevalent mechanism of injury in minority patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a description of levels of evidence.

Decomposing racial and ethnic disparities in the use of postacute rehabilitation care

OBJECTIVE

To determine the degree to which racial and ethnic disparities in the use of postacute rehabilitation care (PARC) are explained by observed characteristics.

DATA SOURCES

State inpatient databases (SIDs) for 2005 and 2006 from four diverse states were used to identify patients with stays for joint replacement, stroke, or hip fracture.

STUDY DESIGN

Our primary outcomes were use of institutional PARC (versus discharge home) and, conditional on discharge to an institution, skilled nursing facility (versus inpatient rehabilitation facility) care. We modified the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method to account for the dichotomous outcome and multilevel nature of the data.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Discharges from the four SIDs were included if the principal diagnosis (stroke, hip fracture) or procedure (joint replacement) was in the sample inclusion criteria.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Observed characteristics explained roughly half of the unadjusted differences in use of institutional PARC. Patient-level factors (clinical, age) were more explanatory of disparities in institutional PARC use, while hospital-level factors were more explanatory of skilled nursing facility versus inpatient rehabilitation facility care.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjustment for characteristics influencing PARC use both mitigated and exacerbated racial/ethnic disparities in use. The degree to which the characteristics explained the disparity varied across conditions and outcomes.

Disparities in post-acute rehabilitation care for joint replacement

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extent to which demographic and geographic disparities exist in the use of post-acute rehabilitation care (PARC) for joint replacement.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2 years (2005 and 2006) of population-based hospital discharge data from 392 hospitals in 4 states (Arizona, Florida, New Jersey, and Wisconsin). A total of 164,875 individuals who were age ≥ 45 years, admitted to the hospital for a hip or knee joint replacement, and who survived their inpatient stay were identified. Three dichotomous dependent variables were examined: 1) discharge to home versus institution (i.e., skilled nursing facility [SNF] or inpatient rehabilitation facility [IRF]), 2) discharge to home with versus without home health (HH), and 3) discharge to an SNF versus an IRF. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify demographic and geographic disparities in PARC use, controlling for illness severity/comorbidities, hospital characteristics, and PARC supply. Interactions among race, socioeconomic, and geographic variables were explored.

RESULTS

Considering PARC as a continuum from more to less intensive care in regard to hours of rehabilitation per day (e.g., IRF→SNF→HH→no HH), the uninsured received less intensive care in all 3 models. Individuals receiving Medicaid and those of lower socioeconomic status received less intensive care in the HH versus no HH and SNF versus IRF models. Individuals living in rural areas received less intensive care in the institution versus home and HH versus no HH models. The effect of race was modified by insurance and by state. In most instances, minorities received less intensive care. PARC use varied by hospital.

CONCLUSION

Efforts to further understand the reasons behind these disparities and their effect on outcomes are needed.

Breakout session: Ethnic and racial disparities in joint arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Many authors report racial and ethnic disparities in total joint arthroplasty. The extent and implications, however, are not fully understood.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

Our purposes in this breakout session were to (1) define "Where are we now?"; (2) outline "Where do we need to go?"; and (3) generate a plan for "How do we get there?" in addressing issues of racial disparity and total joint arthroplasty. WHERE ARE WE NOW?: Blacks and some other ethnic minorities have a greater incidence of arthritis and chronic disability than the population in general. Blacks have a lower use of total joint arthroplasty for a variety of reasons, including patient trust, perceived limited satisfaction with results by peers, varying knowledge about total joint arthroplasty, and concerns about pain associated with these procedures. Current data, however, are insufficient to clearly define the magnitude and nature of musculoskeletal disparities. WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO?: We need to better define the magnitude and nature of racial disparities to best design and implement research questions and studies and target areas for improvement. We should define geographic and provider variation that lead to the differences in use that has been observed in total joint arthroplasty. HOW DO WE GET THERE?: A profession-wide emphasis and focus on disparities needs to be developed with other medical specialties and national organizations to advocate for changes to better define and address racial disparities. Partnerships with organizations and/or investigators that can gain access to relevant databases should be encouraged. Special attention to disparities and manuscript reviewing and editing is essential.

Outcomes after spine surgery among racial/ethnic minorities: a meta-analysis of the literature

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Prior research has identified disparities in access to care, resource utilization, and outcomes in members of racial and ethnic minorities. However, the role that race/ethnicity may play in influencing outcomes after spine surgery has not been previously studied.

PURPOSE

To characterize the effect of race and ethnicity on outcome after spine surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Of 11 investigations selected in the initial analysis, four reported results in a fashion that enabled their inclusion in the meta-analysis. These four studies included a total of 128,635 patients.

OUTCOME MEASURES

"Favorable" or "unfavorable" postsurgical outcomes were determined based on parameters described in each included investigation.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed to identify all studies documenting outcomes, complications, or mortality after spine surgical procedures. Eligible studies had to include raw data that enabled separate analysis of white and nonwhite patients. Outcome was categorized as "favorable" or "unfavorable" based on scales included in each investigation. The Q-statistic was used to determine heterogeneity, and a meta-analysis was performed to assess the relative risk for unfavorable outcome among nonwhite patients after spine surgery.

RESULTS

Eleven studies met initial selection criteria but only four were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis included 128,635 patients among whom 12,194 (9.5%) had unfavorable outcomes. Among white patients, 9.4% sustained an unfavorable outcome as compared with 10.4% of nonwhites.

CONCLUSIONS

In light of the small number of studies able to be included in the meta-analysis, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the effect of race/ethnicity on outcome after spinal surgery. There is a pressing need for more robust research regarding spine surgical outcomes among different racial and ethnic minority groups.