A new study, published in Pediatrics, shows that black children are more than twice as likely to die as compared to white children after surgery.
Researchers studied 30-day postoperative mortality rates for more than 260,000 children who underwent surgical procedures from 2012 to 2015. They compiled the data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. They developed race-specific models using preoperative risk factors.
Researchers found black children face a significantly higher risk of death following surgery as compared to white children. They also found higher prevalence of risk factors for poor outcomes in black children. These include ventilator use, oxygen support, wound infections, transfusions and neonatal status.
The study authors suggest interventions that aim to reduce postoperative death among pediatric patient be tested within the context of race-specific risk strata.