Effect of race on access to recombinant human erythropoietin in long-term hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify access to recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) among patients with dialysis-dependent end-stage renal disease (ESRD).


METHODS
National random sample of hemodialysis patients from a random sample of dialysis units, using data abstracted from patients' medical records.


METHODS
All US hemodialysis units.


METHODS
A total of 4024 Medicare-entitled in-center hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
The relative odds that black patients received EPO (compared with white patients).


RESULTS
There was no evidence in this national study that black hemodialysis patients were more or less likely to receive EPO than white patients (P = .74).


CONCLUSIONS
Three years after Food and Drug Administration approval and Medicare coverage of EPO, there was no evidence of racial disparity in access to EPO among Medicare patients with ESRD who were receiving long-term hemodialysis. However, there was evidence of greater need for EPO among black patients.
Petronis
K R
KR
Health Policy Center, Urban Institute, Washington, DC.
Carroll
C E
CE
Held
P J
PJ
Port
F K
FK
D044383:Black People; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016015:Logistic Models; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin