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Racial/ethnic gaps in CRT-D use narrowing, but disparities still exist
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Disparities still exist in the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation between certain racial and ethnic groups, researchers said in a research letter recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Researchers analyzed data from 107,096 patients in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry’s ICD Registry to compare trends in cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) use among potentially eligible patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Blacks and Hispanics have historically been less likely to receive CRT-D than white patients, researchers wrote in the letter. The goal was to determine whether racial and ethnic disparities have changed over time. Cases evaluated were entered into the registry between 2006 and 2010.
Of the 107,096 patients, 81.9% received CRT-D. Among eligible white, black and Hispanic patients, use of CRT-D significantly increased overall during the study period. However, black and Hispanic patients remained less likely to receive CRT-D compared with white patients (black vs. white OR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.65-0.73, and Hispanic vs. white OR=0.84; 95% CI, 0.78-0.91).
“The use of CRT-D seems to be improving in the overall population and in racial and ethnic subgroups; however, disparities in the use of CRT-D have remained over time,” the researchers concluded. “Future efforts to improve the broad and systematic use of CRT-D in eligible patients are needed to minimize differences in care and improve the treatment of patients with advanced HF.”
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