RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Sex differences in use of interventional cardiology persist after risk adjustment
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 203
OP 208
DO 10.1136/jech.2008.077537
VO 63
IS 3
A1 N Nante
A1 G Messina
A1 M Cecchini
A1 O Bertetto
A1 F Moirano
A1 M McKee
YR 2009
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/63/3/203.abstract
AB Background: Studies from several countries have documented gender disparities in the management of coronary artery disease. Whether such gender disparities are seen in Italy and, if so, whether they can be explained by factors such as age and severity of illness were investigated.Methods: 77 974 Piedmontese patients, admitted between 1999 and 2002, with a primary diagnosis of myocardial infarction (ICD 410), angina (ICD 413), chronic ischaemia (ICD 414) and chest pain (ICD 786.5) were studied. The number of men and women undergoing surgical treatment was extracted and the male–female odds ratios calculated. Several risk factors and a risk adjustment technique (APR-DRG) were used to control for possible confounders. Backward stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for significant covariates.Results: Crude analysis demonstrated that gender is a discriminating factor in the probability of surgery (OR 2.11, 95% CI 2.04 to 2.19), with similar findings among those with each main diagnosis. The odds ratios decreased after adjustment for age, co-morbidity and disease severity but remained significant.Conclusions: Men and women admitted to hospitals in a region of northern Italy with a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease are treated differently and this cannot be explained by age or severity of disease.