Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
6-2015
Publisher
Iranian Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ISRAPM)
Source Publication
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Source ISSN
2228-7523
Original Item ID
doi:10.5812/aapm.5(3)2015.24376
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is risk factor for complications after orthopedic surgery.
Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that anesthesia preoperative clinic (APC) referral for elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduces complication rate after total joint arthroplasty (TJA).
Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 203) with and without DM were chosen from 1,237 patients undergoing TJA during 2006 - 12. Patients evaluated in the APC had surgery in 2006 - 8 regardless of HbA1c (uncontrolled). Those evaluated between in subsequent two-year intervals were referred to primary care for HbA1c ≥ 10% and ≥ 8%, respectively, to improve DM control before surgery. Complications and mortality were quantified postoperatively and at three, six, and twelve months. Length of stay (LOS) and patients requiring a prolonged LOS (> 5 days) were recorded.
Results: Patients (197 men, 6 women) underwent 71, 131, and 1 total hip, knee, and shoulder replacements, respectively. Patients undergoing TJA with uncontrolled HbA1c and those with HbA1c < 10%, but not those with HbA1c < 8%, had a higher incidence of coronary disease and hypercholesterolemia than patients without DM. An increase in complication rate was observed in DM patients with uncontrolled HbA1c versus patients without DM (P < 0.001); the complication rate progressively decreased with tighter HbA1c control. More DM patients with preoperative HbA1c that was uncontrolled or ≥ 10% required prolonged LOS versus those without DM (P < 0.001 and P = 0.0404, respectively).
Conclusions: APC referral for elevated HbA1c reduces complication rate and the incidence of prolonged hospitalization during the first year after surgery in diabetics undergoing TJA.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Kallio, Peter J.; Nolan, Jenea; Olsen, Amy C.; Breakwell, Susan; Topp, Richard; and Pagel, Paul S., "Anesthesia Preoperative Clinic Referral for Elevated Hba1c Reduces Complication Rate in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty" (2015). College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications. 393.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/nursing_fac/393
Comments
Published version. Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Vol. 5, No. 3 (June 2015): e24376. DOI. © 2015 Iranian Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ISRAPM). Used with permission.