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

A Nationwide Analysis of the Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Complications and Health Care Utilizations After Total Knee Arthroplasty Using the Area Deprivation Index: Consideration of the Disadvantaged Patient

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status has been demonstrated to be an important prognostic risk factor among patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. We evaluated patients living near neighborhoods with higher socioeconomic risk undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and if they were associated with differences in the following: (1) medical complications; (2) emergency department (ED) utilizations; (3) readmissions; and (4) costs of care.

METHODS

A query of a national database from 2010 to 2020 was performed for primary TKAs. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) is a weighted index comprised of 17 census-based markers of material deprivation and poverty. Higher numbers indicate a greater disadvantage. Patients undergoing TKA in zip codes associated with high ADI (90%+) were 1:1 propensity-matched to a comparison group by age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. This yielded 225,038 total patients, evenly matched between cohorts. Outcomes studied included complications, ED utilizations, readmission rates, and 90-day costs. Logistic regression models computed the odds ratios (OR) of ADI on the dependent variables. P values less than .003 were significant.

RESULTS

High ADI led to higher rates and odds of any medical complications (11.7 versus 11.0%; OR: 1.05, P = .0006), respiratory failures (0.4 versus 0.3%; OR: 1.28, P = .001), and acute kidney injuries (1.7 versus 1.5%; OR: 1.15, P < .0001). Despite lower readmission rates (2.9 versus 3.5%), high ADI patients had greater 90-day ED visits (4.2 versus 4.0%; OR: 1.07, P = .0008). The 90-day expenditures ($15,066 versus $12,459; P < .0001) were higher in patients who have a high ADI.

CONCLUSIONS

Socioeconomically disadvantaged patients have increased complications and ED utilizations. Neighborhood disadvantage may inform health care policy and improve postdischarge care. The socioeconomic status metrics, including ADI (which captures community effects), should be used to adequately risk-adjust or risk-stratify patients so that access to care for deprived regions and patients is not lost.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Is There an Implicit Racial Bias in the Case Order of Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty?

INTRODUCTION

Identifying ways to improve equitable access to healthcare is of the utmost important. In this study, we analyzed whether patient race was negatively associated with surgical start times for total joint arthroplasties (TJA).

METHODS

The surgical case order and start times of all primary TJAs performed at a large academic medical center between May 2014 and May 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if > 21, had a documented self-reported race, and were operated on by an arthroplasty fellowship-trained surgeon. Operations were categorized as first-start, early (7:00 AM-11:00 AM), mid-day (11:00 AM-3:00 PM), or late (after 3:00 PM). Multivariable logistic regression (MLR) was performed, and odds ratios (OR) were calculated.

RESULTS

This study identified 1663 TJAs-871 total knee (TKA) and 792 total hip arthroplasties (THA) who met inclusion criteria. Overall, there was no association between race and surgical start time. Upon sub-analysis by surgical type, this held true for TKA patients, but self-identifying Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black patients undergoing THA were more likely to have later surgical start times (ORs: 2.08 and 1.88; p < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

Although there was no association between race and overall TJA surgical start times, patients with marginalized racial and ethnic identities were more likely to undergo elective THA later in the surgical day. Surgeons should be aware of potential implicit bias when determining case order to potentially prevent adverse outcomes due to staff fatigue or lack of proper resources later in the day.

Lack of race/ethnic minority representation in ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in baseball athletes: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To assess the reporting and representation of ethnic and racial minorities in comparative studies of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries and treatment in baseball athletes.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting guidelines. The literature search was conducted by two independent reviewers using the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies were included if they were UCL of the elbow clinical comparative studies, including randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, case series, and epidemiological studies. Studies were excluded if they were related to ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, lateral ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow, biomechanical studies, non-surgical studies, non-baseball studies, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criterion was used to assess quality of studies included.

RESULTS

A total of 108 studies were included for analysis, of which only one reported race and ethnicity in their demographics. Additionally, of the 108 studies included, only four reported Country of Origin, a subset of Race and Ethnicity, in their demographics.

CONCLUSION

Race and Ethnicity demographics are scarcely reported in comparative studies evaluating ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Future studies evaluating similar populations should strongly consider reporting racial and ethnic demographics as this may provide clarity on any potential effect these might have on post-surgical outcomes, particularly in high-level pitchers.

Socioeconomic Status and Race Are Rarely Reported in Randomized Controlled Trials for Achilles Tendon Pathology in the Top 10 Orthopaedic Journals: A Systematic Review

Background

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are crucial in comparative research, and a careful approach to randomization methodology helps minimize bias. However, confounding variables like socioeconomic status (SES) and race are often underreported in orthopaedic RCTs, potentially affecting the generalizability of results. This study aimed to analyze the reporting trends of SES and race in RCTs pertaining to Achilles tendon pathology, considering 4 decades of data from top-tier orthopaedic journals.

Methods

This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and used PubMed to search 10 high-impact factor orthopaedic journals for RCTs related to the management of Achilles tendon pathology. The search encompassed all articles from the inception of each journal until July 11, 2023. Data extraction included year of publication, study type, reporting of SES and race, primary study location, and intervention details.

Results

Of the 88 RCTs identified, 68 met the inclusion criteria. Based on decade of publication, 6 articles (8.8%) reported on SES, whereas only 2 articles (2.9%) reported on race. No RCTs reported SES in the pre-1999 period, but the frequency of reporting increased in subsequent decades. Meanwhile, all RCTs reporting race were published in the current decade (2020-2030), with a frequency of 20%. When considering the study location, RCTs conducted outside the United States were more likely to report SES compared with those within the USA.

Conclusion

This review revealed a concerning underreporting of SES and race in Achilles tendon pathology RCTs. The reporting percentage remains low for both SES and race, indicating a need for comprehensive reporting practices in orthopaedic research. Understanding the impact of SES and race on treatment outcomes is critical for informed clinical decision making and ensuring equitable patient care. Future studies should prioritize the inclusion of these variables to enhance the generalizability and validity of RCT results.

Racial Disparities in Short-Stay and Outpatient Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: 13-year Trend in Utilization Rates and Perioperative Morbidity Using a National Database

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to assess racial and ethnic disparities in short-stay (< 2-midnight length of stay) and outpatient (same-day discharge) total joint arthroplasties (TJAs). We aimed to determine (1) whether there are differences in postoperative outcomes between short-stay Black, Hispanic, and White patients and (2) the trend in utilization rates of short-stay and outpatient TJA across these racial groups.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). Short-stay TJAs done between 2008 and 2020 were identified. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were assessed. Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess differences between racial groups in minor and major complication rates, as well as readmission and revision surgery rates.

RESULTS

Of a total of 191,315 patients, 88% were White, 8.3% were Black, and 3.9% were Hispanic. Minority patients were younger and had greater comorbidity burden when compared with Whites. Black patients had greater rates of transfusions and wound dehiscence when compared with White and Hispanic patients ( P < 0.001, P = 0.019, respectively). Black patients had lower adjusted odds of minor complications (odds ratio [OR], 0.87; confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 0.98), and minorities had lower revision surgery rates in comparison with Whites (OR, 0.70; CI, 0.53 to 0.92, and OR, 0.84; CI, 0.71 to 0.99, respectively). The utilization rate for short-stay TJA was most pronounced for Whites.

CONCLUSION

There continues to persist marked racial disparities in demographic characteristics and comorbidity burden in minority patients undergoing short-stay and outpatient TJA procedures. As outpatient-based TJA becomes more routine, opportunities to address these racial disparities will become increasingly more important to optimize social determinants of health.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III, retrospective cohort study.

Income and Insurance Status Impact Access to Health Care for Hip Osteoarthritis

Purpose

To explore differences in the affordability of and accessibility to health care among adults with hip osteoarthritis with respect to race/ethnicity, income, and insurance status.

Methods

This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted using 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. NHIS data collection occurred continuously from January to December 2016. Individuals belonging to households and noninstitutionalized groups were included in the study. Because NHIS randomized surveys are conducted face-to-face on an annual basis, follow-up data are not collected.

Results

Answers from 38,158,634 weighted respondents with a mean age of 58.33 ± 0.33 years were assessed. Among adults with hip osteoarthritis, those with public insurance had increased odds of delaying care owing to lack of transportation and had decreased odds of delaying care and follow-up care owing to cost. Individuals who were uninsured or who belonged to lower income brackets were associated with increased odds of being unable to afford or utilize health care.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that income bracket and insurance status affect the accessibility to health care among adults with hip osteoarthritis in the United States.

Level of Evidence

Level IV, prognostic case series.

Trends in Revenue and Cost for Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Over the past decade, reimbursement models and target payments have been modified in an effort to decrease costs of revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) while maintaining the quality of care. The goal of this study was to investigate trends in revenue and costs associated with rTKA.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent rTKA between 2011 and 2021 at our institution. Patients were stratified into groups based on insurance coverage: Medicare, government-managed or Medicaid (GMM), or commercial insurance. Patient demographics were collected, as well as revenue, costs, and contribution margin (CM) of the inpatient episode. Changes over time as a percentage of 2011 numbers were analyzed. Linear regressions were used to determine trend significance. In the 10-year study period, 1,698 patients were identified with complete financial data.

RESULTS

Overall total cost has increased significantly (P < .01). While revenues and CM for Medicare and Commercial patients remained steady between 2011 and 2021, CM for GMM patients decreased significantly (P = .01) to a low of 53.2% of the 2011 values. Since 2018, overall CM and revenues decreased significantly (P = .05, P = .01, respectively).

CONCLUSION

While from 2011 to 2018 general revenues and CM were relatively steady, since 2018 they have decreased significantly to their lowest values in over a decade for GMM and commercial patients. This trend is concerning and may potentially lead to decreased access to care. Re-evaluation of reimbursement models for rTKA may be necessary to ensure the financial viability of this procedure and prevent issues with access to care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Improving Randomized-Controlled Trials in Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics: The Need to Include Sociodemographic Patient Data

BACKGROUND

The representation of sociodemographic data within randomized-controlled trials (RCT) regarding foot and ankle surgery is undefined. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of sociodemographic data being reported in contemporary foot and ankle RCTs.

METHODS

Randomized-controlled trials within the PubMed database from 2016 to 2021 were searched and the full text of 40 articles was reviewed to identify sociodemographic variables reported in the manuscript. Data regarding race, ethnicity, insurance status, income, work status, and education were collected.

RESULTS

Race was reported in the results in 4 studies (10.0%), ethnicity in 1 (2.5%), insurance status in 0 (0%), income in 1 (2.5%), work status in 3 (7.5%) and education in 2 (5.0%). In any section other than the results, race was reported in 6 studies (15.0%), ethnicity in 1 (2.5%), insurance status in 3 (7.5%), income in 6 (15.0%), work status in 6 (15.0%), and education in 3 (7.5%). There was no difference in sociodemographic data by journal (P = .212), year of publication (P = .216), or outcome study (P = .604).

CONCLUSION

The overall rate of sociodemographic data reported in foot and ankle RCTs is low. There was no difference in the reporting of sociodemographic data between journal, year of publication, or outcome study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II.

Lack of Demographic Information in Total Hip Arthroplasty/Total Knee Arthroplasty Randomized Controlled Trial Publications

BACKGROUND

The impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) has been documented in orthopaedic literature. However, there is a lack of data on the inclusion of these variables in orthopaedic studies. Our aim was to investigate how many total hip arthroplasties and total knee arthroplasties randomized controlled trials report SDOH variables such as race, ethnicity, insurance, income, and education within the manuscript.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted on a PubMed search for randomized controlled trials published from 2017 to 2019 in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Journal of Arthroplasty, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, and Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. Data collected included publication year, type of surgery, and the inclusion of race, ethnicity, insurance, income, and education.

RESULTS

Of the 72 manuscripts included in the study, 5.6% of the manuscripts mentioned race, 4.2% included race within the demographic table, and 1.4% included ethnicity in the demographic table. Overall, only 5 studies discussed any one of the variables studied and none included any SDOH variables in their multivariable regressions. There were no statistically significant differences on inclusion across journal year (P value = .78), journal name (P value = 1.00), or surgery type (P value = .555).

CONCLUSION

Our findings identify a major shortcoming in the inclusion of SDOH variables in total knee arthroplasty/total hip arthroplasty publications. Their exclusion may be indirectly perpetuating disparities if research that does not use representative patient samples is used in creating health policies and national standards.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V.

Social determinants of health in prognostic machine learning models for orthopaedic outcomes: A systematic review

RATIONAL

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are being considered more frequently when providing orthopaedic care due to their impact on treatment outcomes. Simultaneously, prognostic machine learning (ML) models that facilitate clinical decision making have become popular tools in the field of orthopaedic surgery. When ML-driven tools are developed, it is important that the perpetuation of potential disparities is minimized. One approach is to consider SDOH during model development. To date, it remains unclear whether and how existing prognostic ML models for orthopaedic outcomes consider SDOH variables.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether prognostic ML models for orthopaedic surgery outcomes account for SDOH, and to what extent SDOH variables are included in the final models.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane for studies published up to 17 November 2020. Two reviewers independently extracted SDOH features using the PROGRESS+ framework (place of residence, race/ethnicity, Occupation, gender/sex, religion, education, social capital, socioeconomic status, 'Plus+' age, disability, and sexual orientation).

RESULTS

The search yielded 7138 studies, of which 59 met the inclusion criteria. Across all studies, 96% (57/59) considered at least one PROGRESS+ factor during development. The most common factors were age (95%; 56/59) and gender/sex (96%; 57/59). Differential effect analyses, such as subgroup analysis, covariate adjustment, and baseline comparison, were rarely reported (10%; 6/59). The majority of models included age (92%; 54/59) and gender/sex (69%; 41/59) as final input variables. However, factors such as insurance status (7%; 4/59), marital status (7%; 4/59) and income (3%; 2/59) were seldom included.

CONCLUSION

The current level of reporting and consideration of SDOH during the development of prognostic ML models for orthopaedic outcomes is limited. Healthcare providers should be critical of the models they consider using and knowledgeable regarding the quality of model development, such as adherence to recognized methodological standards. Future efforts should aim to avoid bias and disparities when developing ML-driven applications for orthopaedics.

Postacute Care Readmission and Resource Utilization in Patients From Socioeconomically Distressed Communities After Total Joint Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Racial and socioeconomic disparities have been associated with complications and poorer patient-reported outcomes after THA and TKA, but little is known regarding the variation of postacute care resource utilization based on socioeconomic difference in the communities in which patients reside. Hip and knee arthroplasty are among the most common elective orthopaedic procedures. Therefore, understanding social factors provides insight into patients at risk for readmission and the way in which these patients use other postoperative resources. This knowledge can help surgeons better understand which patients are at risk for complications or preventable readmissions and how to anticipate when additional surveillance or intervention might reduce this risk.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Do patients from communities with a higher distress level experience higher rates of readmission after THA and TKA? (2) Do patients from distressed communities have increased postoperative resource utilization?

METHODS

Demographics, ZIP code of residence, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were recorded for each patient undergoing TKA or THA between 2016 and 2019 at two high-volume hospitals. Patients were classified according to the Distressed Communities Index (DCI) score of their ZIP code of residence. The DCI combines seven metrics of socioeconomic well-being (high school graduation, poverty rate, unemployment, housing vacancy, household income, change in employment, and change in establishment) to create a single score. ZIP codes are then classified by scores into five categories based on national quintiles (prosperous, comfortable, mid-tier, at-risk, and distressed). The DCI was chosen because it provides a single composite measure of multiple important socioeconomic factors. Multivariate analysis with logistic, negative binomial regression, or Poisson was used to investigate the association of DCI category with postoperative resource utilization while controlling forage, gender, BMI, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was 90-day readmissions. Secondary outcomes included postoperative medication prescriptions from the orthopaedic team, patient telephone calls to the surgeon's office, physical therapy sessions attended, follow-up office visits, and emergency department visits. A total of 5077 patients who underwent TKA (mean age 66 ± 9 years, 59% [2983 of 5077] are women, and 69% [3519 of 5077] are White), and 5299 who underwent THA (mean age 63 ± 11 years, 50% [2654 of 5299] are women, and 74% [3903 of 5299] are White) were included.

RESULTS

When adjusting for age, gender, race and CCI, readmission risk was higher in distressed communities compared with prosperous communities for patients undergoing TKA (odds ratio 1.6 [95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.3]; p = 0.02) but not for THA. For secondary outcomes after TKA, at-risk communities had more postoperative prescriptions compared with prosperous communities, but no other differences were found. After THA, no major differences were found in the likelihood to utilize postoperative resources based on DCI category. Race was not associated with readmissions or resource utilization.

CONCLUSION

We found that socioeconomic distress was associated with readmission after TKA, but, after controlling for relevant confounding variables, race had no association. Patients from these communities do not demonstrate an increased or decreased use of other resources after post-TKA discharge. Increased awareness of these disparities may allow for closer monitoring and improved patient education and communication, with the goal of reducing the frequency of complications and preventable readmissions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, therapeutic study.

Few Randomized Controlled Trials in Spine Surgery in the United States Include Sociodemographic Patient Data: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

The importance of sociodemographic factors such as race, education, and income on spine surgery outcomes has been well established, yet the representation of sociodemographic data within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in spine literature remains undefined in the United States (U.S).

METHODS

Medical literature was reviewed within PubMed for RCTs with "spine" in the title or abstract published within the last 8 years (2014 to 2021) in seven major spine journals. This yielded 128 results, and after application of inclusion criteria (RCTs concerning adult spine pathologies conducted in the U.S), 54 RCTs remained for analysis. Each article's journal of publication, year of publication, and spinal pathology was recorded. Pathologies included cervical degeneration, thoracolumbar degeneration, adult deformity, cervical trauma, and thoracolumbar trauma. Sociodemographic variables collected were race, ethnicity, insurance status, income, work status, and education. The Fisher's exact test was used to compare inclusion of sociodemographic data by journal, year, and spinal pathology.

RESULTS

Sociodemographic data were included in the results and in any section of 57.4% (31/54) of RCTs. RCTs reported work status in 25.9% (14/54) of results and 38.9% (21/54) of RCTs included work status in any section. Income was included in the results and mentioned in any section in 13.0% (7/54) of RCTs. Insurance status was in the results or any section of 9.3% (5/54) and 18.5% (10/54) of RCTs, respectively. There was no association with inclusion of sociodemographic data within the results of RCTs as a factor of journal (P = 0.337), year of publication (P = 0.286), or spinal pathology (P = 0.199).

DISCUSSION

Despite evidence of the importance of sociodemographic factors on the natural history and treatment outcomes of myriad spine pathologies, this study identifies a surprising absence of sociodemographic data within contemporary RCTs in spine surgery. Failure to include sociodemographic factors in RCTs potentially bias the generalizability of outcome data.

Hemoglobinopathy is Associated With Total Hip Arthroplasty Indication Even Beyond Sickle Cell Anemia

Background

The extent to which hemoglobinopathies other than sickle anemia (HbSS) are associated with hip osteonecrosis is unknown. Sickle cell trait (HbS), hemoglobin SC (HbSC), and sickle/β-thalassemia (HbSβTh) may also predispose to osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We sought to compare the distributions of indications for a total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with and without specific hemoglobinopathies.

Methods

PearlDiver, an administrative claims database, was used to identify 384,401 patients aged 18 years or older undergoing a THA not for fracture from 2010 to 2020, with patients grouped by diagnosis code (HbSS N = 210, HbSC N = 196, HbSβTh N = 129, HbS N = 356). β-Thalassemia minor (N = 142) acted as a negative control, and patients without hemoglobinopathy as a comparison group (N = 383,368). The proportion of patients with ONFH was compared to patients without it by hemoglobinopathy groups using chi-squared tests before and after matching on age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and tobacco use.

Results

The proportion of patients with ONFH as the indication for THA was higher among those with HbSS (59%, P < .001), HbSC (80%, P < .001), HbSβTh (77%, P < .001), and HbS (19%, P < .001) but not with β-thalassemia minor (9%, P = .6) than the proportion of patients without hemoglobinopathy (8%). After matching, the proportion of patients with ONFH remained higher among those with HbSS (59% vs 21%, P < .001), HbSC (80% vs 34%, P < .001), HbSβTh (77% vs 26%, P < .001), and HbS (19% vs 12%, P < .001).

Conclusions

Hemoglobinopathies beyond sickle cell anemia were strongly associated with having osteonecrosis as the indication for THA. Further research is needed to confirm whether this modifies THA outcomes.

Low Rates of Reporting Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status in Studies Published in Top Orthopaedic Journals

BACKGROUND

Although there have been calls for the routine reporting of patient demographics associated with health disparities, including race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES), in published research, the extent to which these variables are reported in orthopaedic journals remains unclear.

METHODS

We identified and examined all research articles with human cohorts published in 2019 in the 2 highest-ranked U.S. general orthopaedics journals, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research and The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Excluded from analysis were studies with no U.S.-based institution and those that did not report any demographic data. Articles were reviewed to determine study type; reporting of race, ethnicity, and any of 3 SES variables (i.e., income, education, and health-care insurance); and the inclusion of these demographics in multivariable analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 156 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 56 (35.9%) reported patient race and 24 (15.4%) reported patient ethnicity. Income was reported in 13 (8.3%) of the articles, education in 23 (14.7%), and health insurance in 18 (11.5%). Of the 97 papers that reported results of multivariable analyses, 30 (30.9%) included race in the analysis and 21 (21.6%) reported significance associated with race. Income, education, and health insurance were included in multivariable analyses in 7 (7.2%), 11 (11.3%), and 10 (10.3%) of the articles, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Race, ethnicity, and SES were infrequently reported and analyzed within articles published in 2 of the top orthopaedic journals. This problem may be remedied if orthopaedic journals impose standards for the reporting and analysis of patient demographics in studies with human cohorts.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Failure to report key demographics makes it difficult for practitioners to determine whether study results apply to their patient populations. In addition, when orthopaedic interventions are evaluated without accounting for potential disparities by demographics, clinicians may incorrectly assume that the overall benefits and risks reported in studies apply equally to all patients.

The Unmet Need for Orthopaedic Services Among American Indian and Alaska Native Communities in the United States

ABSTRACT

Historic and present-day marginalization has resulted in a high burden of disease and worse health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in the United States. Musculoskeletal disease is the leading cause of disability for the general population in the U.S. today. However, few have examined musculoskeletal disease burden and access to orthopaedic surgical care in the AI/AN communities. A high prevalence of hip dysplasia, arthritis, back pain, and diabetes, and a high incidence of trauma and road traffic-related mortality, suggest a disproportionately high burden of musculoskeletal pathology among the AI/AN communities and a substantial need for orthopaedic surgical services. Unfortunately, AI/AN patients face many barriers to receiving specialty care, including long travel distances and limited transportation to health facilities, inadequate staff and resources at Indian Health Service (IHS)-funded facilities, insufficient funding for referral to specialists outside of the IHS network, and sociocultural barriers that complicate health-system navigation and erode trust between patients and providers. For those who manage to access orthopaedic surgery, AI/AN patients face worse outcomes and more complications than White patients. There is an urgent need for orthopaedic surgeons to participate in improving the availability of quality orthopaedic services for AI/AN patients through training and support of local providers, volunteerism, advocating for a greater investment in the IHS Purchased/Referred Care program, expanding telemedicine capabilities, and supporting community-based participatory research activities.

Uneven global and racial representation in major orthopaedic clinical trials: Trends over a decade

BACKGROUND

The presence of geographic and demographic disparities in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may affect the external validity of trials. While some studies have addressed racial or ethnic disparities, they have been limited to a certain region, and there is limited information about the global representation in orthopaedic research.

METHODS

RCTs published in major medical and orthopaedic journals from 2010 to 2019 were identified. After screening 6961 articles, 1769 trials enrolling 323,506 patients were included. The details of individual trials such as the country of origin, the proportion of women, and the proportion of different racial groups were recorded. Factors associated with reporting and representation of specific demographic groups, and annual changes were assessed.

RESULTS

Majority of the trials were from were from United States (US) (N = 380, 21.5%). US (30.7%, N = 99,356), United Kingdom (15.7%, N = 50,691) and Canada (8.3%, N = 26,890) accounted for majority of the enrolled patients. 59.1% of the patients were women. Among US trials reporting race, 81.2% were White, and 9.9% were African American. There was no significant variation in the global distribution (p = 0.056), percentage of women (p = 0.811), or percentage of Whites (p = 0.389) over the years.

CONCLUSION

The top three countries contributed to about 55% of the enrolled patients, whereas they contributed to only 6% of the world population. Overall, women appeared to be adequately represented in the trials, while racial minorities were underrepresented. There has not been any considerable improvement in the representation of developing regions or minorities over the last decade.

Influence of psychosocial and sociodemographic factors in the surgical management of traumatic cervicothoracic spinal cord injury at level I and II trauma centers in the United States

Background

Socioeconomic factors can bias clinician decision-making in many areas of medicine. Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, and major psychiatric disorder are emerging as potential sources of conscious and unconscious bias. We hypothesized that these psychosocial factors, in addition to socioeconomic factors, may impact the decision to operate on patients with a traumatic cervicothoracic fracture and associated spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

We performed a cohort analysis using clinical data from 2012-2016 in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Trauma Data Bank at academic level I and II trauma centers. Patients were eligible if they had a diagnosis of cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Using ICD codes, we evaluated baseline characteristics including race; insurance status; diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or major psychiatric disorder; admission drug screen and blood alcohol level; injury characteristics and severity; and hospital characteristics including geographic region, non-profit status, university affiliation, and trauma level. Factors significantly associated with surgical intervention in univariate analysis were eligible for inclusion in multivariate logistic regression.

Results

We identified 6,655 eligible patients, of whom 62% underwent surgical treatment (n=4,137). Patients treated non-operatively were more likely to be older; be female; be Black or Hispanic; have Medicare, Medicaid, or no insurance; have been assaulted; have been injured by a firearm; have thoracic fracture; have less severe injuries; have severe TBI; be treated at non-profit hospitals; and be in the Northeast or Western U.S. (all P<0.01). After adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis, only insurance status remained associated with operative treatment. Medicaid patients (OR=0.81; P=0.021) and uninsured patients (OR=0.63; P<0.001) had lower odds of surgery relative to patients with private insurance. Injury severity and facility characteristics also remained significantly associated with surgical management following multivariate regression.

Conclusions

Psychosocial characteristics such as diagnosis of alcoholism, substance abuse, or psychiatric illness do not appear to bias the decision to operate after traumatic cervicothoracic fracture with SCI. Baseline sociodemographic imbalances were explained largely by insurance status, injury, and facility characteristics in multivariate analysis.

Total joint replacement surgeon choice: A qualitative analysis in a medicare population

INTRODUCTION

Previous research has shown that patients from historically marginalized groups in the United States tend to have poorer outcomes after joint replacement surgery and that they are less likely to receive joint replacement surgery at high-volume hospitals. However, little is known regarding how this group of patients chooses their joint replacement surgeon. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors influencing the choice of joint replacement surgeon amongst a diverse group of patients.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Medicare patients who underwent a hip or knee replacement within the last 24 months (N = 38) at an academic and community hospital. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and verified for accuracy. Transcripts were reviewed using iterative content analysis to extract key themes related to how respondents chose their joint replacement surgeon.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

MD referral/recommendation appears to be the strongest factor influencing joint replacement surgeon choice. Other key considerations are hospital reputation and surgeon attributes-including operative experience, communication skills, and participation in shared decision-making. Gender/ethnicity of a surgeon, industry payments to surgeons, number of publications and cost did not play a large role in surgeon choice.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The process of choosing a joint replacement surgeon is a complex decision-making process with several factors at play. Despite growing availability of information regarding surgeons, patients largely relied on referrals for choosing their joint replacement surgeon regardless of ethnicity. Referring physicians need to ensure that patients are able to access hospital and surgeon outcomes, operative volume, and industry-payment information to learn more about their orthopedic surgeons in order to make an informed choice.

Community Deprivation Index and Discharge Destination After Elective Hip Replacement

OBJECTIVE

To examine how the deprivation level of the community in which one lives influences discharge disposition and the odds of 90-day readmission after elective total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study on 84,931 patients who underwent elective THA in the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council database from 2012 to 2016. We used adjusted binary logistic regression models to test the association between community Area Deprivation Index (ADI) level and patient discharge destination as well as 90-day readmission. We included an interaction term for community ADI level and patient race in our models to assess the simultaneous effect of both on the outcomes.

RESULTS

After adjusting for patient- and facility-level characteristics, we found that patients from high ADI level communities (most disadvantaged), compared to patients from low ADI level communities (least disadvantaged), were more likely to be discharged to an institution as opposed to home for postoperative care and rehabilitation (age <65 years adjusted odds ratio [OR_adj ] 1.47; age ≥65 years OR_adj 1.31; both P < 0.001). The interaction effect of patient race and ADI level on discharge destination was statistically significant in those patients age ≥65 years, but not in patients age <65 years. The association with ADI level on 90-day readmission was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

In this statewide sample of patients who underwent elective THA, the level of deprivation of the community in which patients reside influences their discharge disposition, but not their odds of 90-day readmission to an acute-care facility.

Bilateral vs Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: Racial Variation in Utilization and In-Hospital Major Complication Rates

BACKGROUND

We sought to examine bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) vs unilateral TKA (UTKA) utilization and in-hospital complications comparing African Americans (AAs) and Whites.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis of patients ≥50 years who underwent elective primary TKA, the (2007-2016) database of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (National Inpatient Sample) was used. We computed differences in temporal trends in utilization and major in-hospital complication rates of BTKA vs UTKA comparing AAs and Whites. We performed multivariable logistic regression models to assess racial differences in trends adjusting for individual-, hospital- and community-level variables. Discharge weights were used to enable nationwide estimates. We used multiple imputation procedures to impute values for 12% missing race information.

RESULTS

An estimated 276,194 BTKA and 5,528,429 UTKA were performed in the US. The proportion of BTKA among all TKAs declined, and AAs were significantly less likely to undergo BTKA compared to Whites throughout the study period (trend P = .01). In-hospital complication rates for UTKA were higher in AAs compared to Whites throughout the study period (trend P < .0001). However, for BTKA, the in-hospital complication rates varied between Whites and AAs throughout the study period (trend P = .09).

CONCLUSION

In this nationwide sample of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty from 2007 to 2016, the utilization of BTKA was higher in Whites compared to AAs. On the other hand, while AAs have consistently higher in-hospital complication rates in UTKA over the time period, this pattern was not consistent for BTKA.

Association of Race with Early Outcomes of Elective Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Propensity-Matched and Subgroup Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of race on 30-day postoperative complication rates of elective posterior spinal fusions (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).

METHODS

Patients who underwent PSF between 2012 and 2018 were reviewed from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program pediatric database. Propensity score matching was utilized to evaluate whether patient race (i.e., black vs. white) was correlated with postoperative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 4051 PSF for AIS cases met criteria for inclusion. Of these, 3221 (79.5%) patients were white and 830 (20.5%) were black. Several baseline characteristics significantly differed between cohorts. Patients in the black cohort had a significantly higher body mass index, a greater proportion of female patients, higher ASA scores, preoperative diagnosis of asthma or cardiac risk factors, and prior use of steroids. The total number of vertebral segments fused was also greater in the black cohort. After controlling for differences in baseline characteristics with propensity score matching analysis, the only significant difference in morbidity and mortality identified was a higher incidence of venous thromboembolism among the black cohort (2.8% vs. 0.1%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to prior literature, our analysis did not identify black race as an independent risk factor for higher perioperative morbidity or mortality in patients of young age group undergoing elective PSF for AIS, except the higher incidence of venous thromboembolism. The findings of the present study suggest that previously reported perioperative morbidity and mortality outcomes in black patients may be secondary to baseline health characteristics, and not due to race itself.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review

Importance

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, affecting an estimated more than 240 million people worldwide, including an estimated more than 32 million in the US. Osteoarthritis is the most frequent reason for activity limitation in adults. This Review focuses on hip and knee OA.

Observations

Osteoarthritis can involve almost any joint but typically affects the hands, knees, hips, and feet. It is characterized by pathologic changes in cartilage, bone, synovium, ligament, muscle, and periarticular fat, leading to joint dysfunction, pain, stiffness, functional limitation, and loss of valued activities, such as walking for exercise and dancing. Risk factors include age (33% of individuals older than 75 years have symptomatic and radiographic knee OA), female sex, obesity, genetics, and major joint injury. Persons with OA have more comorbidities and are more sedentary than those without OA. The reduced physical activity leads to a 20% higher age-adjusted mortality. Several physical examination findings are useful diagnostically, including bony enlargement in knee OA and pain elicited with internal hip rotation in hip OA. Radiographic indicators include marginal osteophytes and joint space narrowing. The cornerstones of OA management include exercises, weight loss if appropriate, and education-complemented by topical or oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in those without contraindications. Intra-articular steroid injections provide short-term pain relief and duloxetine has demonstrated efficacy. Opiates should be avoided. Clinical trials have shown promising results for compounds that arrest structural progression (eg, cathepsin K inhibitors, Wnt inhibitors, anabolic growth factors) or reduce OA pain (eg, nerve growth factor inhibitors). Persons with advanced symptoms and structural damage are candidates for total joint replacement. Racial and ethnic disparities persist in the use and outcomes of joint replacement.

Conclusions and Relevance

Hip and knee OA are highly prevalent and disabling. Education, exercise and weight loss are cornerstones of management, complemented by NSAIDs (for patients who are candidates), corticosteroid injections, and several adjunctive medications. For persons with advanced symptoms and structural damage, total joint replacement effectively relieves pain.

Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Osteoarthritis Management

This article reviews the literature on racial and socioeconomic disparities in the management of osteoarthritis. Treatments investigated include arthritis education, dietary weight management, exercise/physical therapy, pharmacologic therapy with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and opioids, intra-articular steroid injections, and total joint replacement. The amount of evidence for each treatment modality varied, with the most evidence available for racial and socioeconomic disparities in total joint arthroplasty. Black patients, Hispanic patients, and patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) are less likely to undergo total joint replacement than white patients or patients with high SES, and generally have worse functional outcomes and more complications.

Postacute Care Disposition for Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement Surgery for Asian Americans

This study explored differences in postacute disposition for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a focus on whether Asian Americans (AS) experience joint replacement disparities observed in other racial/ethnic minorities compared with majority white patients. We used data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2009 through 2012. We looked at disposition to home health care (HHC) and transfer to another facility for postacute care (e.g., skilled nursing facility, rehabilitation facility) for each of the 4 years under study. Findings for AS were mixed. There were differences in discharge to postacute facilities other than HHC for AS compared with whites for THA for 2011 and 2012. For TKA, there were differences in disposition to HHC for Asians compared with whites for 2009 and 2012; for disposition to postacute facilities other than HHC for TKA, there were differences for 2011 and 2012 only. Differences for AS in postacute disposition to facilities other than HHC appear to increase over the 4 years of the study. Further research with additional data is warranted.

The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Evidence to date indicates that patients from ethnic minority backgrounds may experience disparity in the quality and safety of health care they receive due to a range of socio-cultural factors. Although heightened risk of patient safety events is of key concern, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the nature and rate of patient safety events occurring amongst ethnic minority consumers, which is critical for the development of relevant intervention approaches to enhance the safety of their care.

OBJECTIVES

To establish how ethnic minority populations are conceptualised in the international literature, and the implications of this in shaping of our findings; the evidence of patient safety events arising among ethnic minority healthcare consumers internationally; and the individual, service and system factors that contribute to unsafe care.

METHOD

A systematic review of five databases (MEDLINE, PUBMED, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL) were undertaken using subject headings (MeSH) and keywords to identify studies relevant to our objectives. Inclusion criteria were applied independently by two researchers. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to heterogeneity of the study designs of included studies followed by a study appraisal process.

RESULTS

Forty-five studies were included in this review. Findings indicate that: (1) those from ethnic minority backgrounds were conceptualised variably; (2) people from ethnic minority backgrounds had higher rates of hospital acquired infections, complications, adverse drug events and dosing errors when compared to the wider population; and (3) factors including language proficiency, beliefs about illness and treatment, formal and informal interpreter use, consumer engagement, and interactions with health professionals contributed to increased risk of safety events amongst these populations.

CONCLUSION

Ethnic minority consumers may experience inequity in the safety of care and be at higher risk of patient safety events. Health services and systems must consider the individual, inter- and intra-ethnic variations in the nature of safety events to understand the where and how to invest resource to enhance equity in the safety of care.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

This systematic review is registered with Research Registry: reviewregistry761.

The Association of Race/Ethnicity and Total Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes in a Universally Insured Population

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have documented racial/ethnic disparities in the United States for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes. One factor cited as a potential mediator is unequal access to care. We sought to assess whether racial/ethnic disparities persist in a universally insured TKA population.

METHODS

A US integrated health system's total joint replacement registry was used to identify elective primary TKA (2000-2016). Racial/ethnic differences in revision and 90-day postoperative events (readmission, emergency department [ED] visit, infection, venous thromboembolism, and mortality) were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard and logistic regression with adjustment for confounders.

RESULTS

Of 129,402 TKA, 68.8% were white, 16.2% were Hispanic, 8.4% were black, and 6.6% were Asian. Compared to white patients, Hispanic patients had lower risks of septic revision (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-0.83) and infection (odds ratio [OR] = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.30-0.59), but a higher likelihood of ED visit (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.22-1.34). Black patients had higher risks of aseptic revision (HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.42-1.83), readmission (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02-1.24), and ED visit (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.23-1.39). Asian patients had lower risks of aseptic revision (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.54-0.83), septic revision (HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.60-0.99), readmission (OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.79-1.00), and venous thromboembolism (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.45-0.78).

CONCLUSION

We observed differences in TKA outcome, even within a universally insured population. While lower risks in some outcomes were observed for Asian and Hispanic patients, the higher risks of aseptic revision and readmission for black patients and ED visit for black and Hispanic patients warrant further research to determine reasons for these findings to mitigate disparities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Barriers to Increasing Diversity in Orthopaedics: The Residency Program Perspective

Background:

There are little data to explain why the surgical subspecialty of orthopaedic surgery struggles with improving the racial/ethnic composition of its workforce. The current work sought to determine what orthopaedic residency program directors and coordinators believe are the barriers to improving diversity at their own programs.

Methods:

Between November 17, 2018, and April 1, 2019, a 17-question survey was electronically distributed to the program directors and coordinators of 155 allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs. Seventy-five of 155 programs (48.4%) responded to the survey. A p-value of < 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

Results:

The most commonly stated barriers to increasing diversity within the orthopaedic surgery programs were the following: “We do not have enough minority faculty, which may deter the applicants” (69.3%), “We consistently rank minority applicants high but can never seem to match them” (56%), and “Not enough minorities are applying to our program” (54.7%). Programs with higher percentages of underrepresented minority (URM) faculty had higher percentages of URM residents (p = 0.001). Programs participating in the Nth Dimensions and/or Perry Initiative programs had a higher percentage of URM faculty as compared to the residency programs that did not participate in these programs (p = 0.004). URM residents represented 17.5% of all residents who resigned and/or were dismissed in the 10 years preceding the survey while also only representing 6% of all orthopaedic residents during the same time period.

Conclusions:

From the orthopaedic residency program perspective, the greatest perceived barrier to increasing the racial/ethnic diversity of residents in their program is their lack of URM faculty. Surveyed programs with more URM faculty had more URM residents, and programs participating in Nth Dimensions and/or Perry Initiative programs had a higher percentage of URM faculty.

Medicaid insurance status predicts postoperative mortality after total knee arthroplasty in state inpatient databases

Aim: Medicaid versus private primary insurance status may predict in-hospital mortality and morbidity after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Materials & methods: Regression models were used to test our hypothesis in patients in the State Inpatient Database (SID) from five states who underwent primary TKA from January 2007 to December 2014. Results: Medicaid patients had greater odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.01-2.95), greater odds of any postoperative complications (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18-1.33), experience longer lengths of stay (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.08-1.10) and higher total charges (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.04). Conclusion: Medicaid insurance status is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and morbidity in patients after TKA compared with private insurance.

Health literacy and surgery expectations in total hip and knee arthroplasty patients

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed patients' health literacy and expectations for total hip (THA) and total knee (TKA) replacement surgery, and compared health literacy levels of patients and their caregivers.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 200 THA/TKA participants, patients and their caregivers, participated in this study.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated no statistical difference in health literacy between patients and their caregivers. However, patients with lower health literacy had significantly lower expectations for walking after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Practices should be aware that caregivers may not be any better equipped to consume and use complicated patient education materials than the patient they are assisting. Additionally, lower health literacy, rather than or in addition to race or social factors, may contribute to disparities in opting for THA/TKA because of lower expectations for walking after surgery.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare practices should develop patient educational materials that are easy for all patients and caregivers to understand, especially those with low health literacy. Additional patient education and counseling may help patients with low health literacy realistically align their expectations and mitigate barriers to consenting to surgery due to low expectations.

Disparities in Total Knee Replacement: Population Losses in Quality-Adjusted Life-Years Due to Differential Offer, Acceptance, and Complication Rates for African Americans

OBJECTIVE

Total knee replacement (TKR) is an effective treatment for end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA). American racial minorities undergo fewer TKRs than whites. We estimated quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) lost for African American knee OA patients due to differences in TKR offer, acceptance, and complication rates.

METHODS

We used the Osteoarthritis Policy Model, a computer simulation of knee OA, to predict QALY outcomes for African American and white knee OA patients with and without TKR. We estimated per-person QALYs gained from TKR as the difference between QALYs with current TKR use and QALYs when no TKR was performed. We estimated average, per-person QALY losses in African Americans as the difference between QALYs gained with white rates of TKR and QALYs gained with African American rates of TKR. We calculated population-level QALY losses by multiplying per-person QALY losses by the number of persons with advanced knee OA. Finally, we estimated QALYs lost specifically due to lower TKR offer and acceptance rates and higher rates of complications among African American knee OA patients.

RESULTS

African American men and women gain 64,100 QALYs from current TKR use. With white offer and complications rates, they would gain an additional 72,000 QALYs. Because these additional gains are unrealized, we call this a loss of 72,000 QALYs. African Americans lose 67,500 QALYs because of lower offer rates, 15,800 QALYs because of lower acceptance rates, and 2,600 QALYs because of higher complication rates.

CONCLUSION

African Americans lose 72,000 QALYs due to disparities in TKR offer and complication rates. Programs to decrease disparities in TKR use are urgently needed.

Race and Ethnicity Have a Mixed Effect on the Treatment of Tibial Plateau Fractures

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether racial or economic disparities are associated with short-term complications and outcomes in tibial plateau fracture care.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

All New York State hospital admissions from 2000 to 2014, as recorded by the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database.

PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS

Thirteen thousand five hundred eighteen inpatients with isolated tibial plateau fractures (OTA/AO 44), stratified in 4 groups: white, African American, Hispanic, and other.

INTERVENTION

Closed treatment and operative fixation of the tibial plateau.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Hospital length of stay (LOS, days), in-hospital complications/mortality, estimated total costs, and 30-day readmission.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences regarding in-hospital mortality, infection, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, or wound complications between races, even when controlling for income. There was a higher rate of nonoperatively treated fractures in the racial minority populations. Minority patients had on average 2 days longer LOS compared with whites (P < 0.001), costing on average $4000 more per hospitalization (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression found that neither race nor estimated median family income were independent risk factors for readmission.

CONCLUSIONS

Although nature of initial injury, use of external fixator, comorbidity burden, age, insurance type, and LOS were independent risk factors for readmission, race and estimated median family income were not. In patients who sustained a tibial plateau fracture, race and ethnicity seemed to affect treatment choice, but once treated racial minority groups did not demonstrate worse short-term complications, including increased mortality and postoperative readmission rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Medicaid insurance as primary payer predicts increased mortality after total hip replacement in the state inpatient databases of California, Florida and New York

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To confirm the relationship between primary payer status as a predictor of increased perioperative risks and post-operative outcomes after total hip replacements.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Administrative database study using 2007-2011 data from California, Florida, and New York from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

PATIENTS

295,572 patients age≥18years old who underwent total hip replacement with non-missing insurance data were collected, using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnoses and procedures code (ICD-9-CM code 81.51).

INTERVENTIONS

Patients underwent total hip replacement.

MEASUREMENTS

Patients were cohorted by insurance type as either Medicare, Medicaid, Uninsured, Other, and Private Insurance. Demographic characteristics and comorbidities were compared. Unadjusted rates of in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, LOS, 30-day, and 90-day readmission status were compared. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated for our outcomes using multivariate linear and logistic regression models fitted to our data.

MAIN RESULTS

Medicaid patients incurred a 125% increase in the odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those with Private Insurance (OR 2.25, 99% CI 1.01-5.01). Medicaid payer status was associated with the highest statistically significant adjusted odds of mortality, any complication (OR, 1.26), cardiovascular complications (OR, 1.37), and infectious complications (OR, 1.66) when compared with Private Insurance. Medicaid patients had the highest statistically significant adjusted odds of 30-day (OR, 1.63) and 90-day readmission (OR, 1.58) and the longest adjusted LOS.

CONCLUSIONS

We found higher unadjusted rates and risk adjusted odds ratios of postoperative mortality, morbidity, LOS, and readmissions for patients with Medicaid insurance as compared to patients with Private Insurance. Our study shows that primary payer status serves as a predictor of perioperative risks and that primary payer status should be viewed as a peri-operative risk factor.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in Pediatric Spinal Arthrodesis: A Statewide Analysis of Trends and Outcome of Utilization

INTRODUCTION

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is considered off-label when used to augment spinal arthrodesis in children and adolescents. There is a paucity of longer-term information on BMP use in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of BMP utilization in pediatric spinal arthrodesis, assess factors associated with BMP use in this population, and evaluate long-term outcome.

METHODS

Spinal arthrodeses in patients 18 years and younger performed in New York State between 2004 and 2014 were identified through the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database. All cases had a minimum 1-year follow-up. The primary outcome was revision arthrodesis. The primary outcome, as well as short-term and longer-term complications were identified using time-to-event analysis. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between BMP and outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 7312 children and adolescents who underwent spinal arthrodesis, 462 (6.7%) received BMP. Utilization spiked between 2008 and 2010 when (8.6%) of cases received BMP, but subsequently BMP use returned to pre-2008 levels (2004 to 2007: 5.3%; 2011 to 2014: 5.5%). BMP was more likely to be used in children who were older (P=0.027), white and with higher mean family income (P<0.001 for race and income). BMP was more likely to be used for revision surgery, 2 to 3 level fusions, and spondylolisthesis (P<0.001 for all). Revision rates did not differ based on BMP utilization status. Patients receiving BMP did not have increased risk of short-term complications although at 5-year follow-up, BMP was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of mechanical complications (hazard ratio 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Off-label use of BMP for pediatric spinal arthrodesis increased until 2008 and now appears to be decreasing. Racial/ethnic minorities and lower socioeconomic status patients are less likely to receive BMP. The rate of revision after spinal arthrodesis does not differ between those treated with and without BMP. Further long-term studies are required to delineate appropriate guidelines for BMP utilization in children.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Operative Fixation for Clavicle Fractures-Socioeconomic Differences Persist Despite Overall Population Increases in Utilization

BACKGROUND

Clavicle fractures were traditionally treated conservatively, but recent evidence has shown improved outcomes with surgical management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the recent trends in operative treatment of clavicle fractures, and to analyze for patient related factors that may affect treatment strategy.

METHODS

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) California and Florida inpatient, outpatient, and the Emergency Department databases were used to identify all patients with clavicle fractures between 2005 and 2010. We evaluated the overall number of procedures over the study period and calculated the rates of operative and nonoperative treatment by tracking a large cohort of emergency department patients with clavicle fractures. Poisson and multivariable regression were used to identify trends and patient factors associated with treatment.

RESULTS

There was a 290% increase in the annual number clavicle fracture procedures over the study period. The rate of fixation increased from 3.7% to 11.1% (P < 0.001). Significant increases were seen in all patient age groups less than 65 years. Comparatively, higher rates of fixation were found in patients who were white, privately insured, and of high-income status. Lower income status was also associated with delayed surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The rates of clavicle fracture fixation have increased. However, there are differences associated with socioeconomic factors including race, insurance type, and income level. In part, this likely representing both underutilization and overutilization but may also show differential access to care. This differential utilization suggests both that further work is needed to more clearly define indications for operative versus nonoperative management and to further evaluate referral systems and access to care to ensure equal and quality treatment is available for all patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Disparities in Discharge Destination After Lower Extremity Joint Arthroplasty: Analysis of 7924 Patients in an Urban Setting

BACKGROUND

Discharge destination is an important factor to consider to maximize care coordination and manage patient expectations after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). It also has significant impact on the cost-effectiveness of these procedures given the significant cost of post-acute inpatient care. Therefore, understanding factors that impact discharge destination after TJA is critical.

METHODS

An evaluation of socioeconomic, geographic, and racial/ethnic factors associated with discharge destination to either home or institution (ie, rehabilitation, skilled nursing facility, and so forth) following joint arthroplasty of the lower extremity was conducted. We analyzed data on patients admitted between 2011 and 2014 for primary or revision hip or knee arthroplasty at a single institution. Bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques were applied to determine associations.

RESULTS

Included in the analysis were 7924 cases of lower extremity joint procedures, of which 4836 (61%), 785 (10%), and 2770 (35%) were of female gender, low socioeconomic status, and nonwhite race/ethnicity, respectively. A total of 5088 (64%) and 2836 (36%) cases were discharged to home and institution, respectively. Significant predictors of discharge to an institution in the multivariate analysis include SES (low and middle SES [odds ratio {OR}: 1.27, 95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.02-1.57, P = .029; and OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.10-1.44, P = .001]), age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.049-1.060, P < .001), female gender (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.52-1.89, P < .001) and TKA procedure (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.33-1.64, P < .001). Patients of nonblack race/ethnicity were more likely to be discharged home (white OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.98, P = .027; other OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.95, P = .009).

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are important factors related to discharge destination following TJA. Thoroughly understanding and addressing these factors may help increase the rates of discharge to home as opposed to institution.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Utilization Rate, Hospital Volume, and Perioperative Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of racial disparities in total joint replacement, particularly total knee arthroplasty, in the U.S. have predominantly focused on disparities between blacks and whites and were limited to Medicare patients or veterans, populations that are not representative of the entire U.S.

POPULATION

We sought to study racial disparities in the utilization of total knee arthroplasty, the use of high-volume hospitals, and total knee arthroplasty outcomes, including mortality and complications, using all-payer databases.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 8 years and 8 racially diverse states in the State Inpatient Databases (SID). Patient race was categorized according to the SID as white, black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and mixed race. Both crude and adjusted racial and/or ethnic disparities were evaluated.

RESULTS

In comparison with whites (4.65 per 1000 population per year), black (3.90), Hispanic (3.71), Asian (3.89), Native American (4.40), and mixed-race (3.69) populations had lower rates of total knee arthroplasty utilization (p < 0.0001). After risk adjustment, the rate of total knee arthroplasty utilization was significantly lower for blacks (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.85 to 0.89]; p < 0.0001), Hispanics (OR = 0.76 [95% CI, 0.68 to 0.83]; p < 0.0001), Asians (OR = 0.83 [95% CI, 0.78 to 0.89]; p < 0.0001), Native Americans (OR = 0.87 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.93]; p < 0.0001), and mixed race (OR = 0.84 [95% CI, 0.79 to 0.90]; p < 0.0001) compared with the rate for whites. Lower rates of total knee arthroplasty utilization for blacks, Hispanics, and mixed-race groups became worse over the years. Patients from minority groups were less likely to undergo total knee arthroplasty in high-volume hospitals than were whites. Moreover, the rates of mortality were significantly higher for blacks (OR = 1.52 [95% CI, 1.17 to 1.97]; p = 0.0017), Native Americans (OR = 6.52 [95% CI, 4.63 to 9.17]; p < 0.0001), and mixed-race patients (OR = 4.35 [95% CI, 3.24 to 5.84]; p < 0.0001). Blacks (OR = 1.08 [95% CI, 1.01 to 1.15]; p = 0.01) and mixed-race patients (OR = 1.17 [95% CI, 1.001 to 1.36]; p = 0.04) had higher rates of complications than whites.

CONCLUSIONS

Minorities had lower rates of total knee arthroplasty utilization but higher rates of adverse health outcomes associated with the procedure, even after adjusting for patient-related and health-care system-related characteristics. Utilization rates were based on overall population as the proportion of the population with osteoarthritis requiring arthroplasty is unknown. Future studies that consider specific patient-level information with psychosocial and behavioral factors are needed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

In-hospital mortality risk for total shoulder arthroplasty: A comprehensive review of the medicare database from 2005 to 2011

Introduction:

The in-hospital mortality rate after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) is unknown. The purpose of this study is to quantify the in-patient mortality rates and associated demographic risk factors for patients undergoing a TSA from 2005 to 2011 using a comprehensive Medicare registry database.

Materials and Methods:

We conducted a retrospective review of the Medicare database within the PearlDiver database. The PearlDiver database is a publicly available Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant national database that captures 100% of the Medicare hospital data for TSA between 2005 and 2011. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for TSA we identified a dataset of patients undergoing TSA as well as a subset of those for whom there was a death discharge (i.e., in-patient death). Risk for this outcome was further quantified by age, gender and year. Linear regression was performed to identify risk factors for the primary outcome.

Results:

A total of 101,323 patients underwent 125,813 TSAs between 2005 and 2011. There were 113 in-patient mortalities during this period. Thus the incidence of death was 0.09%. Increasing age was a significant risk factor for mortality (P = 0.03). Gender and year of procedure were not significant risk factors for mortality.

Conclusion:

The incidence of in-patient mortality for Medicare patients undergoing TSA between 2005 and 2011 was <1 in 1000 surgeries. Increased age is a significant predictor of mortality.

Level 4:

Retrospective analysis

Does Race Affect Outcomes in Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND

Several studies suggest worse surgical outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities. There is a paucity of research on preoperative and postoperative pain, general health, and disease-specific measures in which race is the main subject of investigation; furthermore, the results are not conclusive.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Do black patients have more severe or more frequent preoperative pain, well-being, general health, and disease-specific scores when compared with white patients? (2) Are there differences between black patients and white patients after hip or knee arthroplasty on those same measures?

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we used an institutional arthroplasty registry to analyze data on 2010 primary arthroplasties (1446 knees and 564 hips) performed by one surgeon at a single institution. Cases from patients self-identifying as black (n = 105) and white (n = 1905) were compared (controlling for confounders, including age and ethnicity) on the following preoperative and postoperative patient-oriented outcomes: pain intensity/frequency as measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), Quality of Well-Being (QWB-7), SF-36, and WOMAC scores. T-tests, chi square, and multivariate analysis of covariance were used. Alpha was set at 0.05. Postoperative analysis was performed only on those cases that had a minimum followup of 1 year (mean, 3.5 years; range, 1-9 years). Of the 2010 arthroplasties, 37% (39 of 105) of those cases performed in black patients and 64% (1219 of 1905) of those performed in white patients were included in the final postoperative model (multivariate analysis of covariance).

RESULTS

Black patients had more severe preoperative pain intensity (VAS: 8 ± 1.8 versus 8 ± 2.0, mean difference = 0.76 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.34-1.1], p < 0.001). Black patients also had worse well-being scores (QWB-7: 0.527 ± 0.04 versus 0.532 ± 0.05, mean difference = -0.01 [CI, -0.02 to 0.00], p = 0.037). Postoperatively, pain intensity (VAS: 1 ± 3.1 versus 1 ± 1.8, mean difference= 0.8 [CI, 0.19-1.4], p= 0.010) and (QWB-7: 0.579 ± 0.09 versus 0.607 ± 0.11, mean difference= -0.049 [CI, -0.08 to -0.01], p = 0.008) were different but without clinical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Black patients underwent surgery earlier in life and with different preoperative diagnoses when compared with white patients. Black patients had worse preoperative baseline pain, well-being, general health, and disease-specific scores as well as worse postoperative scores. However, these differences were very narrow and without clinical significance. Notwithstanding, the relations of race with outcomes remain complex. Further investigations to recognize disparities and minimize or address them are warranted.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, prognostic study.

Effect of smoking and soft tissue release on risk of revision after total knee arthroplasty: a case- control study

Background

Increasing utilization of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is projected to expand demand for revision TKA. Revision TKAs are procedurally complex and incur high costs on our financially constrained healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to use a case-control design to identify factors predisposing to revision TKA, particularly demographic, clinical and perioperative technical factors.

Methods

We conducted a case control study to investigate patient, surgical and perioperative factors associated with greater risk of revision TKA. We included patients who received TKA at a tertiary center between 1996 and 2009. Cases (patients that had primary and revision TKA) were matched to controls (patients with primary TKA that was not revised) in a 1:2 ratio and risk of revision examined using conditional logistic regression.

Results

We identified 146 cases and 290 controls. Patient factors independently associated with revision included male sex (OR 1.73; 95 % CI 1.06-2.81) and smoking (OR 2.87; 1.33-6.19). Older age was associated with decreased risk (OR 0.83 per 5-year increment; 95 % CI 0.75-0.92). Lateral release was the only technical factor associated with revision (OR 1.92; 1.07-3.43).

Conclusions

In this case control study younger patient age, male gender, soft tissue release and active smoking status were associated with increased revision risk. Although we do not know whether the risk of smoking arises from short- or long-term exposure, smoking cessation prior to TKA should be considered as an intervention for decreasing revision risk.

Quantifying the Burden of Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty for Periprosthetic Infection

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) represents substantial clinical and economic burdens. This study evaluated patient and procedure characteristics and resource utilization associated with revision arthroplasty for PJI. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (Q4 2005-2010) was analyzed for 235,857 revision THA (RTHA) and 301,718 revision TKA (RTKA) procedures. PJI was the most common indication for RTKA, and the third most common reason for RTHA. PJI was most commonly associated with major severity of illness (SOI) in RTHA, and with moderate SOI in RTKA. RTHA and RTKA for PJI had the longest length of stay. Costs were higher for RTHA/RTKA for PJI than for any other diagnosis except periprosthetic fracture. Epidemiologic differences exist in the rank, severity and populations for RTHA and RTKA for PJI.

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.