February 2022

OBGYN

RACIAL DISPARITIES IN COMPLICATIONS AND COSTS AFTER SURGERY FOR PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE

Featuring: Oluwateniola “Teni” Brown, MD, Kimberly Sue Kenton, MD, C Emi Bretschneider, MD​
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Abstract
​​​Introduction and hypothesis: The study objective was to examine the impact of race on inpatient complications and costs after inpatient surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we identified women who underwent surgery for POP between 2012 and 2014. Patient demographics, outcomes, hospital characteristics, and hospital costs were extracted. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared by race using Kruskal-Wallis for continuous variables and Chi-squared test for categorical variables. Multivariate logistic and linear regressions were used to identify variables associated with increased complications and costs respectively.

Results: A total of 29,347 women with a median age of 62 years underwent inpatient surgery for POP between 2012 and 2014. There were 4,419 women (15%) who had at least one in-hospital postoperative complication. Rates of any postoperative complication were significantly higher among Black women (20%) than among white, Hispanic, and women of other races (16%, 11%, and 13% respectively, p < 0.01). The median total cost associated with surgeries for POP was $8,267 (IQR $6,008-$11,734). After multivariate analyses controlled for potential confounders, postoperative complications remained independently associated with Black race (aOR 1.21) whereas Hispanic and other races were associated with decreased odds of complications (aOR 0.62, and aOR 0.77) relative to white race. After controlling for confounders, Hispanic women had lower associated hospital costs.
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Conclusions: Black women undergoing inpatient surgery for POP had a 21% increase in the odds of complications, but no difference in costs compared with white women, whereas Hispanic women had the lowest odds of complications and lowest costs.

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This article was originally published in the International Urogynecology Journal in February 2022.
Oluwateniola “Teni” Brown, MD, assistant professor of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Kimberly Sue Kenton, MD, chief of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Arthur Hale Curtis Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 
C Emi Bretschneider, MD, assistant professor of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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