Researchers conducted a retrospective study. They sought to determine how diabetes affected postoperative results in Medicare patients who had adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery for a study. From 2007 to 2016, investigators searched the MarketScan Medicare database for patients who had ASD surgery. Patients were subsequently divided into groups based on their diabetes status at the index procedure. This study excluded patients who were not enrolled in the Medicare database and those who had a prior history of trauma or malignancy. A total of 2,564 patients satisfied the study’s inclusion criteria, with 746 (29.1%) diabetic. Within 90 days, diabetic patients had a greater rate of surgical infection (3.1% vs 1.7%, P<0.05) than nondiabetic patients. Diabetic patients had a higher rate of renal problems (3.2% vs 1.3%, P<0.05). The diabetes cohort had significantly higher readmission rates at 60 days (15.2% vs 11.8%, P<0.05) and 90 days (17.0% vs 13.4%, P<0.05). Patients with diabetes had a larger financial burden at 60 days ($8147 vs $6956, P<0.05) and 90 days ($10,126 vs $8376, P<0.05) when looking at outpatient costs. Diabetic patients who received ASD surgery had higher rates of postoperative infection, outpatient expenditures, and readmissions within 90 days. The impact of inadequate glycemic management on spine surgery results should be investigated further.
