Racial/Ethnic, Sex, and Economic Disparities in the Utilization and Outcomes of Intracoronary Imaging.

Background: Intracoronary imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with improved outcomes compared with angiography-guided PCI. Data on racial/ethnic, sex, and economic disparities in the utilization and outcomes of intracoronary imaging in the United States are scarce.

Methods: We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2020) to examine racial/ethnic, sex, and economic differences in the utilization of intracoronary imaging among patients who underwent PCI. Trends, in-hospital mortality, and safety of intracoronary imaging were also assessed.

Results: Among 2,212,595 weighted hospitalizations for PCI, 204,735 (9.2%) included intracoronary imaging. The utilization rate of intracoronary imaging was similar in Black and Hispanic patients compared with White patients (9.8% vs 10.2% vs 10.0%; = .68) and lower for women compared with men (10.0% vs 10.3%; = .01) and for patients with low and medium income compared with high income (9.2% vs 10.0% vs 12.5%; < .01). In multivariable regression analysis, low and medium income were independently associated with lower intracoronary imaging use compared with high income (both < .01). From 2016 through 2020, the use of intracoronary imaging in PCI increased significantly in all racial/ethnic, sex, and economic groups (all < .01). Among patients who underwent PCI with intracoronary imaging, Black race was associated with higher odds of acute kidney injury compared with White race (adjusted odds ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.25-1.57). In-hospital mortality was similar between different racial/ethnic, sex, and economic groups.

Conclusions: Low and medium income are independently associated with lower intracoronary imaging use in PCI compared with high income. Further studies are needed to identify effective strategies to mitigate economic disparities in intracoronary imaging use.