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Obesity and the correlation with full-thickness rotator cuff tears in younger patients
Vineeth Romiyo1, Michael Curry1, Branden Wright1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ, USA.
Insights
Obesity is positively correlated with premature full-thickness rotator cuff (FT-RTC) tears in patients under 50. This study found higher body mass index (BMI) in younger patients undergoing FT-RTC repair, suggesting a link between obesity and early-onset tears.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Musculoskeletal Health
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Full-thickness rotator cuff (FT-RTC) tears are common injuries.
- The relationship between obesity and FT-RTC tears, particularly in younger populations, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between obesity and FT-RTC tears in patients under 50 years of age.
- To compare demographic and clinical characteristics of younger (under 50) and older (50 and above) patients with FT-RTC tears.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 571 patients who underwent FT-RTC repair.
- Stratification into two cohorts: under 50 years (LT50) and 50 years or older (GT50).
- Analysis of body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and other factors using statistical tests including t-tests, Chi-squared tests, and linear regressions.
Main Results:
- The LT50 cohort exhibited a significantly higher mean BMI compared to the GT50 cohort (p=0.002).
- Patients under 50 had significantly higher odds of obesity (BMI ≥35 and ≥40) compared to older patients.
- Increasing age in the GT50 cohort was associated with decreased odds of obesity (OR: 0.96, p=0.003).
Conclusions:
- Obesity is positively correlated with premature full-thickness rotator cuff tears.
- Younger patients (<50 years) undergoing FT-RTC repair are more likely to be obese.
- These findings highlight the potential role of obesity in the development of early-onset rotator cuff tears.
Background:
The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between obesity and full-thickness rotator cuff (FT-RTC) tears in patients under 50 years of age.
Methods:
A retrospective review of 571 patients aged 18-70 years who underwent FT-RTC repair was conducted. Patients were stratified into less than 50 years old (LT50; n = 84) and greater than or equal to 50 years old (GT50; n = 487) cohorts. Dependent variables included body mass index (BMI ≥ 30, ≥35, and ≥40), comorbidities, sex, race, and social history. Inter-cohort differences were analyzed with Student's t-tests, Pearson Chi-squared tests, and linear regressions.
Results:
The LT50 cohort reported greater mean BMI (37.61 ± 5.62 vs 35.16 ± 4.62; p = 0.002). There was no difference in %BMI ≥30 between cohorts. The LT50 showed a significantly higher %BMI than the GT50 cohort when stratifying by BMI ≥ 35 [34.5% (35.10-51.30) vs 17.5% (35.00-55.30), p < 0.001] and BMI ≥40 [15.5% (40.10-51.30) vs 6.4% (40.19-55.30), p = 0.004], a 2.5- and 2.7-times greater odds, respectively. Linear regressions of the GT50 cohort demonstrated increasing age was associated with decreased odds of obesity (β = -0.041, p = 0.003, OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93-0.99).
Discussion:
Although the incidence of FT-RTCs is lower in patients under 50 years of age, the results of this study are the first to suggest that obesity is positively correlated with premature FT-RTCs.
Level Of Evidence:
III.
