Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Perioperative Complications and Hospital Outcomes After Ankle Arthrodesis and Total Ankle Arthroplasty

• Published in: Foot & ankle international 2015-03, Vol.36 (3), p.258-267
• Main Authors: Schipper, Oliver N., Jiang, Jimmy J., Chen, Lan, Koh, Jason, Toolan, Brian C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Ankle Joint - surgery; Arthrodesis; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle; Diabetes Complications - complications; Female; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Perioperative Period; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 1071-1007; 1944-7876
• DOI: 10.1177/1071100714555569

Background: The aim of this investigation was to analyze a nationally representative admissions database to evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus on the rate of perioperative complications and hospitalization outcomes after ankle arthrodesis (AAD) and total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Methods: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, 12 122 patients who underwent AAD and 2973 patients who underwent TAA were identified from 2002 to 2011 based on ICD-9 procedure codes. The perioperative complications and hospitalization outcomes were compared between diabetic and nondiabetic patients for each surgery during the index hospital stay. Results: The overall complication rate in the AAD group was 16.4% in diabetic patients and 7.0% in nondiabetic patients (P < .001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that diabetes mellitus was independently associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (relative risk [RR] = 3.2, P = .008), urinary tract infection (RR = 4.6, P < .001), blood transfusion (RR = 3.0, P < .001), irrigation and debridement (RR = 1.9, P = .001), and overall complication rate (RR = 2.7, P < .001). Diabetes was also independently associated with a statistically significant increase in length of hospital stay (difference = 0.35 days, P < .001), more frequent nonhome discharge (RR = 1.69, P < .001), and higher hospitalization charges (difference = $1908, P = .04). The overall complication rate in the TAA group was 7.8% in diabetic patients and 4.7% in nondiabetic patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that diabetes was independently associated with increased risk of blood transfusion (RR = 9.8, P = .03) and overall complication rate (RR = 4.1, P = .02). Diabetes was also independently associated with a statistically significant increase in length of stay (difference = 0.41 days, P < .001) and more frequent nonhome discharge (RR = 1.88, P < .001), but there was no significant difference in hospitalization charges (P = .64). Conclusion: After both AAD and TAA, diabetes mellitus was independently associated with a significantly increased risk of perioperative complications, nonhome discharge, and length of hospital stay during the index hospitalization. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative series.