(416) Racial Disparities in Thyroidectomy and Parathyroidectomy Surgery: A NSQIP Analysis

Introduction: To assess the impact of race and ethnicity on 30-day complications following thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy surgery.

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all cases of thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy procedures from 2005-2019. Demographic, comorbidity, and postoperative complication data were compared according to race/ethnicity using univariate and binary logistic regression analyses.

Results: A total of 248,778 patients were included, consisting of 77.6% White, 12.1% Black, 3.8% Asian, 5.1% Hispanic, 0.3% American Indian/Alaska Native, and 1.2% other. Significant differences in sex, age, and comorbidities existed between groups and were adjusted in the binary logistic regression. Black and Asian patients had overall increased odds of medical complications (p < 0.05) and all complications (p < 0.05) in comparison to White patients. Relative to White counterparts, both Black and Asian patients had a higher likelihood for reintubation (p < 0.05), extended ventilator usage (p < 0.05), cardiac arrest (p < 0.05), and bleeding (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Black patients were more likely than White patients to experience postoperative renal insufficiency (p < 0.05) and deep vein thromboses (p < 0.05). However, Black patients were less likely to develop superficial surgical site (p < 0.05) or urinary tract infections (p < 0.05) than White patients. Compared to White patients, Hispanic patients were over twice as likely to experience postoperative bleeding (p < 0.05), and Native American patients were 4 times as likely to have a myocardial infarction (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Black, Asian, Native American, and Hispanic patients were more likely to have 30-day complications following thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy compared to their White counterparts. Further studies should be devoted to understanding the roots of these differences to improve patient outcomes.