The effect of body mass index on functional outcome, pain, and postoperative complications in shoulder arthroplasty after a proximal humerus fracture

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough shoulder arthroplasty often gives a reliable improvement in shoulder pain and function after proximal humeral fractures (PHFs), one must consider the risk of complications. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of complications or worse postoperative shoulder function after reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) or hemiarthroplasty (HA) in patients with PHF. MethodsThis study included 233 patients who underwent HA or RSA after PHF in the Ryhov Teaching Hospital between 2006 and 2018. Data collected include age, gender, BMI, preoperative and postoperative Constant score, preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score during rest and activity, postoperative complications, and patient satisfaction. ResultsAnalysis was made in HA and RSA patients separately. The HA and RSA patients were divided into three groups based on their BMI. Group I consisted of patients with a BMI <25 kg/m2, group II consisted of patients with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2, and group III consisted of patients with a BMI > 30 kg/m2. We found no statistically significant difference between BMI groups regarding postoperative Constant score, postoperative VAS score during rest, postoperative VAS score during activity, postoperative complications, and patient satisfaction in neither HA patients nor RSA patients. ConclusionThis study showed that BMI did not affect the risk of postoperative complications or bad functional outcome after treatment of PHF with HA or RSA.