Impact of tobacco use on perioperative complications and readmission rates following primary anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between tobacco use and outcomes following both aTSA and rTSA, with the hypothesis being that tobacco users will have inferior postsurgical outcomes compared to nontobacco users. MethodsThe Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) was queried from 2016 to 2018 to identify qualifying cases of aTSA (n = 16,241) and rTSA (n = 23,975). These groups were further subdivided based on tobacco use status. Demographic and hospital characteristics were first compared between groups. The unadjusted incidence of postoperative medical and shoulder-specific complications, mortality, revisions, and readmissions were then compared. Finally, the groups were assessed for the same variables after controlling for demographic factors and comorbidities. ResultsFor both aTSA and rTSA, statistically significant differences exist in regard to age, sex, primary expected payer, median household income, hospital region, hospital teaching status, and total number of comorbidities between tobacco users and nonusers (all P < .05). Tobacco users undergoing aTSA experienced higher rates of gastrointestinal complications (0.07% vs. 0.01%, P = .021) and readmissions (15.3% vs. 13.6%, P = .007), while tobacco users undergoing rTSA experienced higher rates of acute renal failure (2.5% vs. 1.9%, P = .005), acute respiratory distress (1.3% vs. 0.9%, P = .002), and the need for ventilator assistance (1.2% vs. 0.7%, P < .001). Adjusted analysis showed that tobacco users were more likely to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR = 1.292, P = .036) and require ventilator assistance (OR = 1.376, P = .008), and are more likely to have at least one readmission (P = .026). ConclusionThe results of this study demonstrate that tobacco users undergoing primary aTSA and rTSA are at an increased risk for several perioperative complications and are more likely to be readmitted following surgery compared to nontobacco users. These findings highlight the importance of determining a patient's tobacco use status as consideration should be given to not performing a TSA until tobacco use has stopped. Level of evidenceLevel III; Retrospective Cohort Treatment Study