Ethnic differences in patient characteristics at time of first referral to specialized heart failure clinics

Abstract:

Background: Heart failure (HF) affects all ethnic groups but ethnic identities may present with different characteristics. The Canadian HF Network (CHFN) links specialized outpatient HF clinics arose Canada through a common longitudinal database. Patients with HF are referred based on local referral practices.
Methods: Between 1999 and 2009, 14315 HF patients with a specific ethnic background were identified in the CHFN database. Baseline physical and biochemical variables were extracted from the first CHFN clinic data entry and compared among major ethnic groups.
REsults: There were no significant differences in % females among the five ethnic groups. Aboriginal were referred at the youngest age vs Caucasian the oldest age (p < 0.001) and had the highest weight vs East Asian the lowest (p < 0.001). African Blacks had the lowest LVEF vs Asian (p < 0.05), the lowest serum creative vs Aboriginal (p < 0.01), and the lowest serum K+ vs South Asian (p < 0.01). South Asian had the lowest systemic systolic pressure and lowest diastolic pressure vs African Blacks with the highest (both p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Significant differences exist in baseline characteristics among HF patients from different ethnic groups within the same country. These differences may result in varied pharmacologic responses and complication to similar dosses of evidence-based recommended treatments. This represents an important gap in current guideline recommendation for community physicians.