Metabolic Syndrome: Is Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Safe in This Patient Population?

Purpose Metabolic syndrome is associated with postoperative morbidity and mortality in surgical patients. With the increased use of arthroscopic techniques for rotator cuff repair (RCR), it is important to identify the impact this disorder has on surgical patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical impact of metabolic syndrome on outcomes following arthroscopic RCR. Methods The 2006-2019 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for adult patients who underwent arthroscopic RCR. Two patient groups were categorized: patients with metabolic syndrome and patients without metabolic syndrome. Demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results Of 40,156 patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR, 36,391 did not have metabolic syndrome and 3,765 had metabolic syndrome. After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups, those with metabolic syndrome had an increased risk of developing renal complications and cardiac complications, as well as requiring hospital admission postoperatively and hospital readmission. Conclusion Metabolic syndrome is an independent risk factor for developing renal and cardiac complications, as well as requiring overnight hospital admission and hospital readmission. Providers should understand the need for preoperative evaluation and surveillance of these patients following their surgery to minimize the risk of poor outcomes.