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Credit: Elise Amendola
Results of a large study showed that black patients were more likely than white patients to receive perioperative blood transfusions for 2 of 3 common surgical procedures.
Researchers evaluated transfusion practices in these 2 racial groups for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), total hip replacement (THR), and colectomy.
And they found that black patients undergoing CABG or THR had a significantly higher incidence of transfusion than white patients undergoing these procedures.
Feng Qian, PhD, of the University at Albany School of Public Health, and his colleagues reported these findings in BMC Health Services Research.
The team examined the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion using patient data from the University Health System Consortium, a network of academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals. The data included hospitalizations occurring from 2009 to 2011.
The researchers’ final sample included 42,933 patients who underwent THR (37,888 white and 5045 black), 25,849 patients who underwent CABG (23,113 white and 2736 black), and 8255 patients who underwent colectomy (6861 white and 1394 black).
Black patients tended to be younger than white patients, with the overall age ranging from 48 to 73 years. Blacks were also less well-insured than whites and more likely to have comorbidities such as diabetes, renal failure, and anemia.
Dr Qian and his colleagues adjusted for these differences in their analysis, as well as for patient gender, admission status, and severity of illness.
The analysis revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 41% higher incidence of perioperative transfusion than white patients (P=0.002).
For THR, the incidence of transfusion was 39% higher among blacks than whites (P<0.001). And for colectomy, the incidence was 8% higher among blacks than whites (P=0.40).
The researchers then performed an analysis adjusted for the aforementioned factors as well as for hospital-fixed effects.
This revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 42% higher incidence of transfusion than whites (P<0.001). Blacks undergoing THR had a 43% higher incidence of transfusion (P<0.001). And blacks undergoing colectomy had a 1% higher incidence of transfusion (P=0.92)
The researchers noted that, although blood transfusion is widely employed in surgery, the practice is associated with adverse outcomes. So overuse of transfusions may pose serious health risks, specifically in black patients undergoing CABG and THR.
Dr Qian added that recognizing racial disparities related to the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion may help reduce potentially unnecessary transfusions in minority patients. 
Credit: Elise Amendola
Results of a large study showed that black patients were more likely than white patients to receive perioperative blood transfusions for 2 of 3 common surgical procedures.
Researchers evaluated transfusion practices in these 2 racial groups for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), total hip replacement (THR), and colectomy.
And they found that black patients undergoing CABG or THR had a significantly higher incidence of transfusion than white patients undergoing these procedures.
Feng Qian, PhD, of the University at Albany School of Public Health, and his colleagues reported these findings in BMC Health Services Research.
The team examined the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion using patient data from the University Health System Consortium, a network of academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals. The data included hospitalizations occurring from 2009 to 2011.
The researchers’ final sample included 42,933 patients who underwent THR (37,888 white and 5045 black), 25,849 patients who underwent CABG (23,113 white and 2736 black), and 8255 patients who underwent colectomy (6861 white and 1394 black).
Black patients tended to be younger than white patients, with the overall age ranging from 48 to 73 years. Blacks were also less well-insured than whites and more likely to have comorbidities such as diabetes, renal failure, and anemia.
Dr Qian and his colleagues adjusted for these differences in their analysis, as well as for patient gender, admission status, and severity of illness.
The analysis revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 41% higher incidence of perioperative transfusion than white patients (P=0.002).
For THR, the incidence of transfusion was 39% higher among blacks than whites (P<0.001). And for colectomy, the incidence was 8% higher among blacks than whites (P=0.40).
The researchers then performed an analysis adjusted for the aforementioned factors as well as for hospital-fixed effects.
This revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 42% higher incidence of transfusion than whites (P<0.001). Blacks undergoing THR had a 43% higher incidence of transfusion (P<0.001). And blacks undergoing colectomy had a 1% higher incidence of transfusion (P=0.92)
The researchers noted that, although blood transfusion is widely employed in surgery, the practice is associated with adverse outcomes. So overuse of transfusions may pose serious health risks, specifically in black patients undergoing CABG and THR.
Dr Qian added that recognizing racial disparities related to the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion may help reduce potentially unnecessary transfusions in minority patients.
Credit: Elise Amendola
Results of a large study showed that black patients were more likely than white patients to receive perioperative blood transfusions for 2 of 3 common surgical procedures.
Researchers evaluated transfusion practices in these 2 racial groups for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), total hip replacement (THR), and colectomy.
And they found that black patients undergoing CABG or THR had a significantly higher incidence of transfusion than white patients undergoing these procedures.
Feng Qian, PhD, of the University at Albany School of Public Health, and his colleagues reported these findings in BMC Health Services Research.
The team examined the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion using patient data from the University Health System Consortium, a network of academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals. The data included hospitalizations occurring from 2009 to 2011.
The researchers’ final sample included 42,933 patients who underwent THR (37,888 white and 5045 black), 25,849 patients who underwent CABG (23,113 white and 2736 black), and 8255 patients who underwent colectomy (6861 white and 1394 black).
Black patients tended to be younger than white patients, with the overall age ranging from 48 to 73 years. Blacks were also less well-insured than whites and more likely to have comorbidities such as diabetes, renal failure, and anemia.
Dr Qian and his colleagues adjusted for these differences in their analysis, as well as for patient gender, admission status, and severity of illness.
The analysis revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 41% higher incidence of perioperative transfusion than white patients (P=0.002).
For THR, the incidence of transfusion was 39% higher among blacks than whites (P<0.001). And for colectomy, the incidence was 8% higher among blacks than whites (P=0.40).
The researchers then performed an analysis adjusted for the aforementioned factors as well as for hospital-fixed effects.
This revealed that black patients undergoing CABG had a 42% higher incidence of transfusion than whites (P<0.001). Blacks undergoing THR had a 43% higher incidence of transfusion (P<0.001). And blacks undergoing colectomy had a 1% higher incidence of transfusion (P=0.92)
The researchers noted that, although blood transfusion is widely employed in surgery, the practice is associated with adverse outcomes. So overuse of transfusions may pose serious health risks, specifically in black patients undergoing CABG and THR.
Dr Qian added that recognizing racial disparities related to the use of perioperative red blood cell transfusion may help reduce potentially unnecessary transfusions in minority patients.