The Negligible Influence of Chronic Obesity on Hospitalization, Clinical Status, and Complications in Elective Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Table 2
Summary of influence of BMI on hospitalization parameters, clinical status, and adverse events. Multinomial regression was used to analyze the influence of BMI (body mass index) on post-op care, Cox proportional hazard regression was used for hospitalization duration, and multinomial regression was used to analyze the influence of BMI on postdischarge care. The influence of BMI on motor and sensory function was analyzed with multiple regression first, as well as logistic regression comparing postsurgical improvement scores. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of BMI on change in urogenital dysfunction and spinal claudication as well as on the appearance of adverse events. Ordinal regression was used to analyze the influence of BMI on change in pain level.
Influence of BMI
Hospitalization parameters
Operating time
220 min (125–350) mean (min–max range)
Moderate influence: (+2.5 min for each BMI increase of 1)
Immediate post-op care
No influence
Neurosurgical ward
73 (93.6%)
Monitoring unit
5 (6.4%)
Intensive care unit
0 (0%)
Hospitalization duration
15 days (12–20; 7–92) mean (interquartile range, min–max range)
No influence
Post discharge care
No influence
Home
38 (48.7%)
Outpatient care
36 (46.2%)
Inpatient rehabilitation
4 (5.1%)
Postsurgical clinical status
Motor function
No influence
Sensory function
No influence
Urogenital function
No influence
Claudication
No influence
Pain level (VAS)
No influence
Complications
Wound healing problems
12 (15.4%)
Minor influence: (Probability 8% at BMI 20, 33% at BMI 35; BMI accounts for only 5% of variance)
