Racial Variation in the Use of Coronary-Revascularization Procedures

Abstract

In the past decade several reports have suggested that there are sexual or racial disparities in the use of invasive cardiac procedures.^1-3 Peterson et al. (Feb. 13 issue)⁴ report that in their study, racial differences persisted after they had controlled for the severity of disease and the presence or absence of coexisting conditions associated with the use of coronary-artery bypass surgery. This article is among the first to assess the possible outcomes of not undergoing revascularization, as well as to report that the most striking racial disparities were found among the group of patients most likely to benefit from bypass surgery: those with three-vessel disease or left main coronary artery disease. These findings suggest that extracardiac or nonclinical factors require further investigation.