The Effect of Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome on Spine Surgery Outcomes

AbstractPurpose of ReviewDiabetes and metabolic syndrome are highly prevalent in patients undergoing spine surgery. This review aims to capture both the findings of recently published literature investigating the effects of diabetes and metabolic syndrome on spine surgery outcomes and the current best practices in patient management.Recent FindingsDiabetes and metabolic syndrome both contribute to worse outcomes in patients undergoing spine surgery. Although patients with diabetes are at greater risk of complications, those with uncontrolled diabetes experience increased healthcare costs and greater odds of postoperative complications. Furthermore, metabolic syndrome is repeatedly shown to have an adverse effect on spine surgery outcomes, including healthcare costs and medical complications.SummarySpine surgeons should coordinate care with primary care physicians to optimize the preoperative profile of patients with comorbidities like diabetes and metabolic syndrome to minimize operative risk. With the shift to value-based care, understanding the patient factors that lead to complications is becoming increasingly important. Future studies should build upon the current literature and design preoperative interventions for at-risk patients. Additionally, further research is needed to analyze the modulatory effects of the social determinants of health in patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Source: Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine - Category: Orthopaedics Source Type: research