Racial disparities in the utilization of parathyroidectomy among patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: Evidence from a nationwide analysis of Medicare claims

• Published in: Surgery Vol. 171; no. 1; pp. 8 - 16
• Main Authors: Alobuia, Wilson M., Meng, Tong, Cisco, Robin M., Lin, Dana T., Suh, Insoo, Tamura, Manjula Kurella, Trickey, Amber W., Kebebew, Electron, Seib, Carolyn D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-01-2022
• Subjects: Administrative Claims, Healthcare - statistics & numerical data; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Black or African American - statistics & numerical data; Female; Healthcare Disparities - statistics & numerical data; Hispanic or Latino - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary - economics; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary - surgery; Male; Medicare - economics; Medicare - statistics & numerical data; Parathyroidectomy - economics; Parathyroidectomy - statistics & numerical data; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; United States; White People - statistics & numerical data; United States
• ISSN: 0039-6060; 1532-7361
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.05.037

Among patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, parathyroidectomy offers a chance of cure and mitigation of disease-related complications. The impact of race/ethnicity on referral and utilization of parathyroidectomy has not been fully explored.
Population-based, retrospective cohort study using 100% Medicare claims from beneficiaries with primary hyperparathyroidism from 2006 to 2016. Associations of race/ethnicity with disease severity, surgeon evaluation, and subsequent parathyroidectomy were analyzed using adjusted multivariable logistic regression models.
Among 210,206 beneficiaries with primary hyperparathyroidism, 63,136 (30.0%) underwent parathyroidectomy within 1 year of diagnosis. Black patients were more likely than other races/ethnicities to have stage 3 chronic kidney disease (10.8%) but had lower prevalence of osteoporosis and nephrolithiasis compared to White patients, Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to have been hospitalized for primary hyperparathyroidism-associated conditions (White 4.8%, Black 8.1%, Hispanic 5.8%; P < .001). Patients who were White and met operative criteria were more likely to undergo parathyroidectomy than Black, Hispanic, or Asian patients (White 30.5%, Black 23.0%, Hispanic 21.4%, Asian 18.7%; P < .001). Black and Hispanic patients had lower adjusted odds of being evaluated by a surgeon (odds ratios 0.71 [95% confidence interval 0.69–0.74], 0.68 [95% confidence interval 0.61–0.74], respectively) and undergoing parathyroidectomy if evaluated by a surgeon (odds ratios 0.72 [95% confidence interval 0.68–0.77], 0.82 [95% confidence interval 0.67–0.99]). Asian race was associated with lower adjusted odds of being evaluated by a surgeon (odds ratio 0.64 [95% confidence interval 0.57–0.71]), but no difference in odds of parathyroidectomy.
Racial/ethnic disparities exist in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism among older adults. Determining the factors that account for this disparity require urgent attention to achieve parity in the management of primary hyperparathyroidism.