Faculty Collaboration Database

Preoperative anemia does not predict complications after single-level lumbar fusion: a propensity score-matched multicenter study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2014 Nov 01;39(23):1981-9

Date

09/05/2014

Pubmed ID

25188593

DOI

10.1097/BRS.0000000000000568

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84964284881 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   17 Citations

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of preoperative anemia on 30-day complications in patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Anemia has been widely implicated as a risk factor in various surgical procedures including elective spine surgery. No large-scale study has been performed to examine this relationship in single-level lumbar fusion surgery.

METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was retrospectively reviewed to identify all patients who underwent single-level lumbar fusion procedures during 2006 to 2011. A propensity score-matching algorithm was used to match scores of anemic patients with that of nonanemic patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of unadjusted and propensity score-matched cohorts was performed to examine the effect of preoperative anemia on 30-day postoperative complication rates and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS: A total of 2960 patients met inclusion criteria. The propensity score-matching procedure yielded scores of 491 pairs of well-matched nonanemic and anemic patients. The multivariate analysis of propensity score-matched population found preoperative anemia to carry no significant association with any of the complications analyzed, including overall complications, medical complications, surgical complications, reoperation, mortality, or length of total hospital stay.

CONCLUSION: For patients undergoing single-level lumbar fusion, preoperative anemia is not independently associated with increased risk of 30-day complications or increased length of stay. Further studies are needed to independently validate this relationship in other spine surgical procedures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Author List

Kim BD, Edelstein AI, Patel AA, Lovecchio F, Kim JY

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Anemia
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Lumbar Vertebrae
Male
Middle Aged
Postoperative Complications
Predictive Value of Tests
Preoperative Care
Propensity Score
Prospective Studies
Retrospective Studies
Spinal Fusion