Association of early vertebroplasty with risk of hip replacement: A nationwide population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Studies show that vertebral fractures could predict the risk of hip fractures. We aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of whether the timing of vertebroplasty (VP) for vertebral fracture associated with the risk of hip fracture for hip replacement.We identified 142,782 patients from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database with thoracolumbar vertebral fracture (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification:805.2-805.9) who were followed up from 2000 to 2013. These patients were divided into those who underwent VP (VP group) (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification : 78.49) within 3 months and those who did not (non-VP group). After adjusting for the confounding factors, the Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate the effect of early VP on reducing the risk of hip fracture. The difference in the risk of hip replacement, between the VP group and non-VP group was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test.In the 14-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence rate of hip replacement in the VP group was lower than that in the non-VP group (0.362% and 0.533%, respectively, long-rank P < .001). There was a significant difference between the 2 groups since the first-year follow-up.Our study showed that early VP performed to avoid progression of the kyphotic changes following thoracolumbar vertebral fracture may reduce the risk of hip fracture. These results, obtained from retrospective data, indicate that a prospective study is warranted.

Surgical apgar score in patients undergoing lumbar fusion for degenerative spine diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar fusion is a procedure broadly performed for degenerative diseases of spines, but it is not without significant morbidities. Surgical Apgar Score (SAS), based on intraoperative blood loss, blood pressure, and heart rate, was developed for prognostic prediction in general and vascular operations. We aimed to examine whether the application of SAS in patients undergoing fusion procedures for degeneration of lumbar spines predicts in-hospital major complications. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-nine patients that underwent lumbar fusion operation for spine degeneration were enrolled in this retrospective study. Based on whether major complications were present (N=16) or not (N=183), the patients were subdivided. We identified the intergroup differences in SAS and clinical parameters. RESULTS: The incidence of in-hospital major complications was 8%. The duration of hospital stay for the morbid patents was significantly prolonged (p=0.04). In the analysis of multivariable logistic regression, SAS was an independent predicting factor of the complications after lumbar fusion for degenerative spine diseases [p=0.001; odds ratio (95% confidence interval)=0.35 (0.19-0.64)]. Lower scores were accompanied with higher rates of major complications, and the area was 0.872 under the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSION: SAS is an independent predicting factor of major complications in patients after fusion surgery for degenerative diseases of lumbar spines, and provides good risk discrimination. Since the scoring system is relatively simple, objective, and practical, we suggest that SAS be included as an indicator in the guidance for level of care after lumbar fusion surgery.