Racial and ethnic associations with interstitial lung disease and healthcare utilization in patients with systemic...

Racial and ethnic differences in presentation and outcomes have been reported in SSc and SSc-interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, prior studies have limited diversity. We aim to evaluate if there are racial/ethnic differences associated with ILD, time intervals between SSc and ILD, and emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization rates.

Clinical and sociodemographic variables were extracted for 756 patients with SSc from longitudinal health records in an integrated health-system. Logistic regression models analysed the association of covariates with ILD and age at SSc-ILD. Healthcare outcomes were analysed with complementary log-log regression models.

Overall, 33.7% of patients in the cohort had an ILD code, with increased odds for Asian (odds ratio [OR], 2.60; 95% CI: 1.29, 5.28; P = 0.008) compared with White patients. The predicted age in years of SSc-ILD was younger for Hispanic (estimate, -6.5; 95% CI: -13, -0.21; P = 0.04) and Black/African American patients (-10; 95% CI: -16, -4.9; P < 0.001) compared with White patients. Black/African American patients were more likely to have an ILD code before an SSc code (59% compared with 20.6% of White patients), and the shortest interval from SSc to ILD (3 months). Black/African American (hazard ratio [HR], 2.59; 95% CI: 1.47, 4.49; P = 0.001) and Hispanic patients (HR 2.29; 95% CI: 1.37, 3.82; P = 0.002) had higher rates of an ED visit.

We found that odds of SSc-ILD differed by racial/ethnic group; minoritized patients had earlier age of presentation and greater rates of an ED visit.