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Cardiovascular

Research Snapshot Theater: Cardiovascular, Adult IV

(151) Gender and Racial Disparities in Cardiac Arrest Mortality: A CDC WONDER Study

Sunday, February 23, 2025
2:30pm – 3:30pm Eastern Time
Location: Connections Central - RST 04

    First Author(s)

  • LA

    Leen Alfaris, MD

    MD
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Mohammad Abdulelah, MD,

    MD
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center
    Springfield, Massachusetts, United States

  • SS

    Shaber Seraj, DO

    DO
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

  • SN

    Samia Nadeem, MBBS

    MBBS
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

  • ZC

    Zaeem Chaudary, DO

    DO
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

  • CE

    Chidubem Ezenna, MD

    MD
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

  • NK

    Nicholar Karr, MD

    MD
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

  • CA

    Christopher Allison, MD

    MD
    University of Massachusetts Chan - Baystate Medical Center, United States

Introduction: Gender and racial disparities have been previously reported to affect mortality after cardiac arrest [1,2]. However, it is unknown whether efforts to address potential culprits have been successful [3,4]. We aimed to evaluate trends in cardiac arrest mortality over a 21-year period, with a focus on differences across racial and gender groups.

Methods: We obtained crude death rate (CDR) for cardiac arrest for patients above the age of 15 between 1999 and 2020. CDR was reported as rate/100,000. Data was obtained from the Center for Disease Control WONDER database. Trends were evaluated through Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC).

Results: There were 364,531 recorded deaths due to cardiac arrests with a CDR of 6.7 (95% CI 6.7 - 6.8). A negative regression in mortality was observed (slope -0.1, 95% CI -0.14 to -0.05; p <.001). There was no statistically significant difference in mean CDR between genders. The mean CDR for those of Hispanic origin was 1.38 (SD 0.29), which was significantly lower than the mean CDR of 7.64 (SD 0.88) observed in those not of Hispanic origin (95% CI: -6.66 to -5.87; p < 0.001). Stratification by race revealed that African Americans had the highest CDR (mean 8.68, SD 0.83), while Native Americans had the lowest CDR (mean 2.32, SD 0.64). The difference in CDR among all races was statistically significant (F(3,63)=704, p <.001), all post-hoc tests were statistically significant.

Mortality trend analysis revealed a statistically significant negative trend in CDR; with an AAPC –1.4 (95% CI –1.4 to –1.7). Females had a higher AAPC of –2.1 when compared to –0.88 in males. There was a non-significant increase in the AAPC among individuals of Hispanic origin (0.77; 95% CI: -0.73 to 1.8; p =.28), while the AAPC significantly decreased in those of non-Hispanic origin (-1.4; 95% CI: -1.8 to -0.7; p <.001). Stratification by race revealed the highest decrement in AAPC to be in Whites (AAPC –1.6; 95% CI –2.1 to –0.9; p <.001) and lowest in African Americans (AAPC –0.6; 95% CI –1.1 to –0.02; p= .04). Asians and Native Americans had a non-statistically significant decrease in AAPC.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate a non-uniform decline in mortality across genders and races over the past 2 decades. Further studies are required to elaborate such differences in decrement.