Carotid endarterectomy utilization and mortality in 10 states

Background Studies that examined the rates of and mortality after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) mainly were confined to a limited geographical location or population. The primary purposes of this study are to examine the variation of risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates after CEA in 10 states, and utilization rates per capita of CEA. Methods An analysis was made of hospital discharge data from 10 states extracted from the Agency for Health Research and Quality national database, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). Results The rates of CEA per capita were found to differ among the 10 states examined. No significant association was detected between geographic location and the adjusted risk of in-hospital mortality. Sex, age, type of admission, and several comorbidities were found to be significant risk factors. Conclusions Rates of CEA per capita differ among states. However, geographical location does not affect the likelihood of risk-adjusted mortality after the procedure.