Racial/ethnic disparities in magnesium sulfate neuroprotection: a subgroup analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective: Despite known racial disparities in obstetrics, as well as differences in magnesium pharmacodynamics according to race, the effect of race/ethnicity in magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) use during pregnancy has not been studied. Whether some mothers are at increased risk of side effects, or infants at decreased neuroprotective effects is unknown. We analyze the effect of race/ethnicity in maternal/infant outcomes after MgSO4 neuroprotection. Study design: Subgroup analysis of a multicenter clinical trial (BEAM trial) where pregnant women at risk of preterm birth were randomized to either MgSO4 or placebo. For this study, nonanomalous singleton pregnancies were studied. The effect of race in maternal/neonatal outcomes after MgSO4 was analyzed with Breslow-day and multifactorial ANOVA. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios of complications according to race. Results: 922 MgSO4 and 972 placebo cases were included (45.0% African-American, 36.2% Caucasian, 17.8% Hispanics, and 1.0%...