Abstract 17249: Epidemiology of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome Among Acute Care Recipients in California

Abstract

Introduction: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a congenital heart disease associated with life-threatening arrhythmias. However, little is known about the epidemiology of WPW in the general population. Goals: To describe the frequency, predictors, and management associated with WPW among California residents. Methods: We used Ambulatory Surgery, Emergency Department, and Inpatient data from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information to identify California residents receiving hospital care between January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2020. Demographics were ascertained from the database. Rurality was determined using the CDC Urban-Rural Classification. Diagnoses and procedures were identified using clinical diagnostic codes. Two multivariable logistic regression models were used to 1) assess the association between patient characteristics and WPW in the entire cohort and 2) examine the odds of undergoing an electrophysiology study (EPS)/ablation among those with WPW. All models were adjusted for sex, rurality, race/ethnicity, and median income. Results: Among 31,414,813 individuals (53% female, 53% non-White, 3% rural), 19,866 (0.06%) had WPW. After multivariable adjustment, those who were female, non-White, or residing in a lower income county had lower odds of having a diagnosis of WPW. Among those with WPW, those who were female, Black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or residing in a lower income county were less likely to undergo EPS/ablation. Hispanics and Asians with WPW were more likely to undergo an EPS/ablation than non-Hispanic Whites (Figure). Conclusions: There are substantial differences in both the diagnosis and treatment of WPW by patient characteristics. Whether, or to what degree, these are due to biological differences, the clinical presentation, access to care, or willingness to undergo interventions is deserving of future research.