Socioeconomic disparities in abdominal aortic aneurysm repair rates and survival

Background Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is more prevalent in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. This study investigated socioeconomic disparities in AAA repair rates and survival.

Methods The study used ecological and cohort study designs, from 31 672 census areas in England (April 2006 to March 2018), the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010 as the area-level deprivation indicator, and Poisson, logistic and Cox regression.

Results Some 77 606 patients (83.4 per cent men) in four age categories (55–64, 65–74, 75–84, 85 or more years) were admitted with AAA from a population aged at least 55 years of 14.7 million. Elective open and endovascular repair rates were 41 (95 per cent c.i. 23 to 61) and 60 (36 to 89) per cent higher respectively among men aged 55–64 years in the most versus least deprived areas by quintile. This differences diminished and appeared to reverse with increasing age, with 26 (−1 to 45) and 25 (13 to 35) per cent lower rates respectively in men aged 85 years or more in the most deprived areas. Men admitted from more deprived areas were more likely to die in hospital without aneurysm repair. Among those who had aneurysm repair, this was more likely to be for a ruptured aneurysm than among men from less deprived areas. For intact aneurysm repair, they were relatively more likely to have this during an emergency admission. The mortality rate after repair was higher for men from more deprived areas, although the hazard diminished with age. Patterns were unclear for women.

Conclusion There were clear socioeconomic disparities in operation rates, mode of presentation, and outcome for AAA surgery. Policies are needed to address these disparities.