Mitral valve disease presentation and surgical outcome in African-American patients compared with white patients.
BACKGROUND
Disparities associated with race, particularly African-American race, in access to medical and surgical care for patients with cardiac disease have previously been documented. The purpose of this study was to determine the presentation, etiology, and hospital outcome differences between African-American patients and white patients with regard to surgically corrected mitral valve disease.


METHODS
All 1,425 adult patients who underwent first time, isolated mitral valvuloplasty or mitral valve replacement by the same group of surgeons at New York University Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center between 1993 and 2003 were studied.


RESULTS
African Americans (n = 123, 8.6%) were significantly younger (45.6 +/- 14.4 versus 60.5 +/- 15.3 years) and had significantly higher incidences of diabetes mellitus, renal failure, congestive heart failure, endocarditis, and rheumatic mitral disease; whereas whites (n = 1,302, 91.4%) more commonly had degenerative mitral disease. African Americans were less likely to undergo mitral valvuloplasty. There were no significant differences in the incidences of postoperative complications or hospital mortality (2.4% African American versus 5.1% white, p = 0.19).


CONCLUSIONS
African Americans present for mitral valve surgery at a significantly younger age than whites and with higher incidences of many risk factors. Whether presentation at a significantly earlier age in African Americans is a result of failures in primary care or an enhanced susceptibility to the process of mitral disease and comorbidities remains to be determined. African Americans were less likely to undergo mitral valvuloplasty, which may have an effect on long-term outcome. Improved screening in this racial group will facilitate earlier referral, increasing the potential for mitral valvuloplasty.
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012086:Reoperation / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*