Disparities and Trends in Anesthesia Mortality in the United States between 1999 and 2020

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-1-2025

Publication Title

Anesth Analg

Keywords

Anesthesiology

Abstract

Introduction: Anesthetic management of patients has become an increasingly safe process; however, limited information is available on national trends in anesthesia related mortality. Our aim was to expand upon existing epidemiology trends in anesthesia, and evaluate for both demographic and geographic trends in Anesthesia-related mortality in the United States between 1999 and 2020 as no recent study has assessed these trends. Methods: The CDC WONDER database was used to determine mortality statistics for patients with an anesthesia related cause of death between 1999-2020. Anesthesia related causes of death were calculated from ICD-10 codes: O29.0-29.9; O74.0-74.9; O89.0-89.9; T41.0-41.4; T88.2-88.5; Y45.0; Y47.1; Y48.0-48.4; Y55.1. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) were calculated per 1,000,000 deaths and were additionally stratified by demographic and geographic variables such as race (NH White, NH Black, Hispanic), Sex, Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West), and Population Density (rural, suburban, and urban). JoinPoint regression software was used to identify temporal trends and annual percent change (APC)- which was considered statistically significant if p< 0.05. Results: Between 1999 to 2020, there were a total of 10,626 deaths due to anesthesia related causes. The largest cause was attributed to Overdose of Anesthetics (ICD 10: T41.0-41.4) comprising 69% of all anesthesia related deaths, and the smallest cause was Anesthetic complications of Pregnancy, Labor, and Peripartum (ICD 10: O29.0-29.9; O74.0-74.9; O89.0-89.9) comprising 1.12% of all anesthesia related deaths. Between 1999 and 2020, the AAMR rose 124% going from 1.01 in 1999 to 4.35 in 2020, with an increase in APC of 6.62 (p<0.05). The largest increase in APC was seen between 2014 to 2020 with an APC of 21.83 (p<0.05). When analyzed by sex, a similar trend was seen. For males, the AAMR rose by 128% from 1.37 in 1999 to 6.20 in 2020, with an increase in APC of 6.57 (p<0.05). For females, the AAMR rose by 114% from .69 in 1999 to 2.53 in 2020, with an increase in APC of 5.89 (p<0.05). For both males and females, there were increases in APC of 20.12 and 20.44 between 2013-2020 and 2014-2020, respectively.

Volume

140

Issue

5

First Page

817

Last Page

819

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