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Study Design Retrospective database analysis. Objective To assess the effect glycemic control has on perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing elective degenerative lumbar spine surgery. Summary of background data Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a prevalent disease of glucose dysregulation that has been demonstrated to increase morbidity and mortality following spine surgery. However, there is limited understanding of whether glycemic control influences surgical outcomes in DM patients undergoing lumbar spine procedures for degenerative conditions. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was analyzed from 2002 to 2011. Hospitalizations were isolated based on International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification procedural codes for lumbar spine surgery and diagnoses codes for degenerative conditions of the lumbar spine. Patients were then classified into three cohorts: controlled diabetics, uncontrolled diabetics and non-diabetics. Patient demographic data, acute complications and hospitalization outcomes were determined for each cohort. Results A total of 403,629 (15.7%) controlled diabetics and 19,421(0.75%) uncontrolled diabetics underwent degenerative lumbar spine surgery from 2002-2011. Relative to non-diabetics, uncontrolled diabetics had significantly increased odds of cardiac complications, deep venous thrombosis and post-operative shock; additionally, uncontrolled diabetics also had an increased mean length of stay (approximately 2.5 days), greater costs (1.3-fold) and a greater risk of inpatient mortality (odds ratio=2.6, 95% confidence interval=1.5-4.8, p < .0009). Controlled diabetics also had increased risk of acute complications and inpatient mortality when compared to non-diabetics, but not nearly to the same magnitude as uncontrolled diabetics. Conclusion Suboptimal glycemic control in diabetic patients undergoing degenerative lumbar spine surgery leads to increased risk of acute complications and poor outcomes. Patients with uncontrolled DM, or poor glucose control, may benefit from improving glycemic control prior to surgery.

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