Racial and ethnic disparities in surgical amputations following serious musculoskeletal infections in a diverse New Mexico cohort

BACKGROUND: Patients with serious musculoskeletal infections may encounter health disparities across multiple phases of prevention and treatment, including surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the predictors of surgical intervention and surgical amputation among patients with septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and infectious myositis in a diverse cohort of patients from New Mexico. METHODS: A retrospective cohort from the University of New Mexico Health System was formed. Patients with septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and/or infectious myositis who underwent surgical procedures or amputations were compared with those who did not, using predictive multivariable logistic regression modeling. The impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) as a predictor of surgical outcomes was evaluated. RESULTS: DM was a predictor of both surgical procedures and amputations in a diverse cohort of patients (n = 1694). Diabetes was more common in American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) patients. However, Black non-Hispanic/African American and Hispanic patients were more likely to undergo amputations, compared to AI/AN patients, even after adjustment for diabetes severity. CONCLUSIONS: Racial and ethnic disparities in infection-related amputation may differ from those observed for diabetes or for general access to surgical management. Interventions intended to prevent or treat serious musculoskeletal infections should consider health disparities that differ across the clinical care process.