Hypoalbuminemia and the Higher Risk of Perioperative Sentinel Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of hypoalbuminemia (HA) on sentinel adverse events after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Patients who underwent primary TSA from 2015-2018 were collected from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Patients with HA (serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL) were compared to patients with normal serum albumin. A probit regression model was used to estimate a propensity score. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effect of HA on sentinel adverse events after surgery. A total of 4,337 patients were included, 8.2% of patients had HA. Patients with HA had higher rates of sentinel adverse events (14.0% vs 5.5%, <i>P<0.01</i>) compared with patients who had normal serum albumin. Reoperation (4.5% vs 1.5%, <i>P<0.01</i>), readmission (11.2% vs 3.9%, <i>P<0.01</i>), urinary tract infection (0.8% vs 0.03%, <i>p</i> <i><0.01</i>) and pulmonary embolism (1.1% vs 0.2%, <i>P=0.01</i>) were higher in patients with HA. The odds ratio for a sentinel event for patients with HA was 2.6 (95% CI: 1.54, 4.44, <i>P<0.01</i>) when compared to a propensity score-matched control group. Patients with HA are at increased risk of sentinel adverse events following TSA compared to patients with normal serum albumin levels.