Perioperative Complications in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: A Comparative Cohort Analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Autoimmune disease study
• Surgical outcomes analysis

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organ systems.
• Perioperative outcomes in SSc patients are understudied.
• This study investigates SSc's impact on surgical complication rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the incidence of perioperative complications in Systemic sclerosis patients.
• To analyze the relationship between SSc and susceptibility to surgical complications.
• To compare outcomes between SSc patients and a matched control group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, single-center comparative cohort study.
• Compared 258 SSc patients with 632 frequency-matched controls.
• Analyzed major composite infection (MCI), MACE, 30-day mortality/readmission, and airway outcomes.

Main Results:

• SSc patients had significantly higher MCI rates (ORadj=5.02), including surgical site infections.
• No significant difference in Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) between groups.
• Increased rates of limited cervical range of motion, microstomia, and difficult airway designation in SSc patients.

Conclusions:

• SSc patients show similar rates of MACE, mortality, and most airway complications.
• An increased risk of 30-day MCI and readmission is observed in SSc patients.
• Endoscopic procedures may carry a higher risk for SSc patients.