Males Have Higher Rates of Peri-operative Mortality Following Surgery for Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) represent a significant healthcare burden, particularly with an aging population.
• Patients with osteoporotic fractures are known to have increased risks of medical and surgical complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between patient sex and peri-operative mortality following surgical intervention for OVCF.
• To determine if sex influences the incidence of surgical complications and 30-day readmission rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1979 patients from the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Project (ACS-NSQIP) database (2007-2014).
• Patients were categorized by sex (male/female).
• Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess 30-day mortality, surgical complications, and readmission rates, calculating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals.

Main Results:

• Male patients demonstrated statistically higher 30-day mortality rates (OR = 1.58; p = 0.050) and 30-day readmission rates (OR = 1.41; p = 0.017) compared to females.
• No statistically significant association was found between patient sex and minor (OR = 0.90; p = 0.560) or major (OR = 1.14; p = 0.569) postoperative complications.
• Men underwent OVCF surgery at a younger average age than women.

Conclusions:

• Male sex is associated with increased peri-operative mortality and 30-day readmissions after surgery for OVCF.
• Postoperative complications following OVCF surgery were not found to be associated with patient sex.