Hypoalbuminemia Is Associated With Increased Postoperative Mortality and Complications in Hand Surgery

Background: Malnutrition has been associated with increased perioperative morbidity and mortality in orthopedic surgery. This study was designed with the hypothesis that preoperative hypoalbuminemia, a marker for malnutrition, is associated with increased complications after hand surgery. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 208 hand-specific Current Procedural Terminology codes was conducted with the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2005 to 2013. In all, 629 patients with low serum albumin were compared with 4079 patients with normal serum albumin. The effect of hypoalbuminemia was tested for association with 30-day postoperative mortality, and major and minor complications. Results: Hypoalbuminemia was independently associated with emergency surgery, diabetes mellitus, dependent functional status, hypertension, end-stage renal disease, current smoking status, and anemia. Patients with hypoalbuminemia had a higher rate of mortality, minor complications, and major complications. Conclusions: Hypoalbuminemia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing hand surgery. As such, increased focus on perioperative nutrition optimization may lead to improved outcomes for patients undergoing hand surgery.