Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mortality Due to Mechanical Complications of Implantable Cardiac Valves, Bioprosthesis, and Grafts

Background: The volume of cardiac valve and coronary artery revascularization procedures are rising in the United States. This cross-sectional study explores ethnic disparities in mortality cardiac surgery attributed to mechanical failures of implantable heart valves and coronary artery grafts. Methods: We used the CDC Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research Multiple Causes of Death database to identify patients whose single cause of death was categorized by complications of cardiovascular prosthetic devices, implants, and grafts (ICD-10 code T82) between 1999 to 2020. Patterns in age-adjusted mortality (per 100,000) and respective 95% CIs were compared and stratified by sex, age (0-44, 44-64, 65 years or older), and US census regions between White, Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders. Results: Age-adjusted mortality due to mechanical failures of cardiac implants and grafts declined across ethnicities from 2.21 (95% CI 2.16-2.27) in 1999 to 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.91) in 2020. Black populations (1.31 [95% CI 1.20-1.42]), both men (1.56 [95% CI 1.37-1.74]) and women (1.02 [95% CI 0.90-1.15]), experienced higher mortality in 2020 compared to all other ethnicities. This disparity was pronounced in younger groups (age 0-64), wherein age-adjusted mortality among Black populations (0.18 [95% CI 0.13-0.25]) more than doubled that of White populations (0.08 [95% CI 0.06-0.10]). Conclusions: Over the last two decades, age-adjusted mortality due to mechanical complications of cardiovascular implants have declined significantly. However, Black men and women, particularly younger patients, continue to experience higher death rates compared to other ethnicities.