Variation in carotid endarterectomy mortality in the Medicare population: trial hospitals, volume, and patient characteristics.
BACKGROUND
The North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study (ACAS) demonstrated the efficacy of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in reducing the risk of stroke and death in selected patients when surgery was performed in institutions whose participation depended on demonstrated excellence. Thirty-day mortality rates in the trials were very low: 0.6% in NASCET and 0.1% in ACAS.


OBJECTIVE
To assess perioperative mortality among Medicare patients undergoing CEA in all nonfederal institutional settings.


METHODS
Retrospective national cohort study.


METHODS
All 113300 Medicare patients undergoing CEA during 1992 and 1993 in "trial hospitals" (those participating in NASCET and ACAS, n=86) and "nontrial hospitals" (all other nonfederal institutions performing CEAs, n=2613). Nontrial hospitals were stratified into terciles based on volume of CEAs performed.


METHODS
Crude and adjusted perioperative (30 day) mortality rates.


RESULTS
The perioperative mortality rate was 1.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2%-1.7%) at trial hospitals; mortality in nontrial hospitals was higher: 1.7% (95% CI, 1.6%-1.8%) (high volume); 1.9% (95% CI, 1.7%-2.1 %) (average volume); 2.5% (95% CI, 2.0%-2.9%) (low volume); (P for trend, <.001). In multivariate modeling, patients undergoing their procedures at trial hospitals had a mortality risk reduction of 15% (95% CI, 0%-31%) compared with high-volume nontrial hospitals, 25% (95% CI, 7%-40%) compared with average-volume hospitals, and 43% (95% CI, 25%-56%) compared with low-volume hospitals (P for trend, <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Medicare patients' perioperative mortality following CEA is substantially higher than that reported in the trials, even in those institutions that participated in the randomized studies. Caution is advised in translating the efficacy of carefully controlled studies of CEA to effectiveness in everyday practice.
Wennberg
D E
DE
Division of Health Services Research, Maine Medical Center, Portland 04102, USA. wennbd@mail.mmc.org
Lucas
F L
FL
Birkmeyer
J D
JD
Bredenberg
C E
CE
Fisher
E S
ES
D000368:Aged; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology