Gender Disparities in Outpatient Management of Postlaminectomy Syndrome

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of patients.

Characteristics^a	Men(N = 34,020)	Women(N = 36,313)	P Value of Difference
Age, y, mean (SD)	55.44 (11.25)	57.16 (11.42)	<0.001
Race, n (%)
White/Caucasian	26,085 (76.68)	27,235 (75.00)	<0.001
Black/African American	4293 (12.62)	2656 (7.31)
Other	3642 (10.71)	6422 (17.69)
Insurance coverage, n (%)
Medicare	10,501 (30.87)	13,227 (36.42)	<0.001
Medicaid	2416 (7.10)	5433 (14.96)
Private insurance	13,330 (39.18)	16,640 (45.82)
History of, n (%)
Cancer	0 (0.00)	1041 (2.87)	<0.001
Chronic kidney disease	140 (0.88)	305 (1.48)	<0.001
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	1618 (4.76)	0 (0.00)	<0.001
Congestive heart failure	100 (0.29)	0 (0.00)	<0.001
Coronary artery disease	1707 (10.72)	246 (1.19)	<0.001
Current antibiotic use	495 (1.46)	1083 (2.98)	<0.001
Depression	8675 (25.50)	15,107 (41.60)	<0.001
Diabetes mellitus	599 (3.31)	2469 (15.73)	<0.001
Hypertension	9907 (29.12)	9761 (26.88)	<0.001
Substance abuse/dependence	2623 (16.47)	0 (0.00)	<0.001

aPercentages calculated from number of patients for whom value for particular variable was known.

Table 2

Gender disparities in management of postlaminectomy syndrome, propensity-matched.^a

Characteristic of Intervention	Men(N = 34,020)	Women(N = 34,020)	OR(95%CI)	P Value
Prescription opioids, n (%)	27,010 (79.39)	21,026 (61.80)	2.38 (2.30–2.46)	<0.001
Methadone maintenance therapy, n (%)	1827 (5.37)	300 (0.88)	6.38 (5.64–7.24)	<0.001
Neuropathic agents, n (%)	6220 (18.28)	10,076 (29.62)	0.53 (0.51–0.55)	<0.001
NSAIDs, n (%)	5581(16.41)	7641 (22.46)	0.68 (0.65–0.70)	<0.001
Referral for spinal cord stimulation, n (%)	623 (1.83)	0 (0.00)	–	<0.001
Intraspinal injection, n (%)	1084 (3.19)	332 (0.98)	–	<0.001
Time spent with physician, min, mean (SD)	21.42 (9.49)	21.20 (9.49)	–	<0.001

aPropensity matching was based on the following baseline variables: age, race, insurance coverage, and all listed comorbidities.
NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.