Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Epidural Blood Patch Utilization Among Obstetric Patients in the United States: A Nationwide Analysis, 2016–2020
Authors' conclusion
Minoritized patients identified as Black non-Hispanic, Hispanic, or Asian or Pacific Islander were less likely to receive an EBP for the treatment of PDPH compared to White non-Hispanic patients.
Study context
- Population
- US delivery hospitalizations of women aged 15–49 years diagnosed with postdural puncture headache (PDPH), National Inpatient Sample, 2016–2020
- Participants
- 49,300 delivery hospitalizations
- Exposure
- Epidural blood patch (EBP) utilization by race and ethnicity
- Outcome
- Inpatient EBP utilization after obstetric PDPH
Methodological detailsnationwide database (National Inpatient Sample), multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression
- Nationwide database (National Inpatient Sample)
- Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
EBP utilization
White non-Hispanic
52.7%
95% CI 51.3%–54.1%
Each group vs white non-HispanicAdjusted odds ratio (99% CI)
Black non-Hispanic
0.69(0.56–0.84)
Hispanic
0.80(0.68–0.95)
Asian or Pacific Islander
0.74(0.58–0.96)
- EBP performed overall
- 24,075 (48.8%; 95% CI, 47.8%-49.9%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Timing of EBP (among hospitalizations with an EBP)
- Median (IQR) time to EBP after admission, days
- 2 (1-3)
- EBP procedures completed within 4 days of admission
- 90%
- No significant association between race and ethnicity and timing of EBP placement
Original publication
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Epidural Blood Patch Utilization Among Obstetric Patients in the United States: A Nationwide Analysis, 2016–2020. Anesth Analg. Published 15 November 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →