Risk Factors of Infectious Complications in Pediatric Patients With Cerebral Palsy After Spinal Arthrodesis

Abstract

Study design: This was a retrospective study.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to investigate (1) whether pediatric patients with cerebral palsy (CP) have higher rates of postoperative infectious complications after spinal fusion and (2) risk factors for postoperative infections.

Summary of background data: Prior studies have shown that patients with CP undergo corrective spine surgery more often than the general population, yet typically have worse postoperative outcomes. Further investigation is needed to improve our understanding of the perioperative factors that place children with CP at greater risk of postoperative infectious complications.

Patients and methods: The 2019 "American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program" Pediatric database was used for patient data. The univariable analysis compared the prevalence of preoperative comorbidities and perioperative factors between children with and without CP. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to ascertain independent risk factors for postoperative infectious complications.

Results: A total of 4445 patients were included in the study; 606 (13.63%) patients had CP and 3839 (86.37%) did not. Patients with CP were more likely to have several notable preoperative comorbidities, and the rate of developing any infectious complication was more than 7 times greater in the CP cohort than in the control cohort (14.36% vs 1.88%; P <0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed CP [odds ratio (OR): 3.55, CI: 2.25-5.60; P <0.001], American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or higher (OR: 2.10, CI: 1.29-3.42; P = 0.003), and hematologic disorders (OR: 2.01, CI: 1.06-3.83; P = 0.033) to be independent risk factors for increased postoperative infectious complications.

Conclusions: CP is an independent risk factor for the development of 30-day postoperative infectious complications in pediatric patients. In addition, the American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or higher and hematologic disorders were risk factors for postoperative infections after spinal fusion surgery.