Racial Disparities of Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage Patients: Nationwide Inpatient Analysis

Purpose

Current literature revealed that lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage (LGIH) complications increased with age or comorbid illnesses. However, the impact of racial disparities on this subpopulation group is limited. This study aimed to assess the relationship between LGIH complications and racial disparities nationally.

Methods

In a 2020 Nationwide cross-sectional study, patients with LGIH and associated complications, including acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure (RS failure), mechanical ventilation use, and mortality rates were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between race and LGIH complications.

Results

We surveyed 104,359 hospitalizations with LGIH. Caucasians accounted for 65.3%, whereas African Americans accounted for 20%. The mean age was 74.25 years, with 51% being female. African Americans had a significantly higher AKI with (aOR 1.22; 95%CI (1.10-1.35), p<0.005) and mechanical ventilation use (aOR 1.7; 95%CI (1.19-2.42), p<0.005) but a lower incidence of respiratory failure (aOR 0.66; 95%CI (0.5-0.87), p<0.005) and a mortality rate (aOR 0.57; 95%CI (0.37-0.86), p<0.005) compared to Caucasians. The analysis also demonstrated a trend toward higher complication rates after LGIH, which varies among other races compared to Caucasians.

Conclusion

African Americans are at a higher risk of experiencing worsening clinical outcomes, but experience a lower mortality rate. Additional longitudinal studies are required to understand these relationships in the future.