title: Postoperative wound infection rates after posterior instrumented spinal surgery in diabetic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus is thought to be a risk factor for surgical site infection. There have been no reports about the infection rate in diabetic patients who have undergone posterior spinal instrumented fusion. We present a retrospective analysis of infection rates after posterior spinal instrumented fusion in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 337 patients who underwent posterior spinal instrumented fusion between 1995 and 1997, 39 were diabetic. Plasma glucose concentration, body mass index, type of instrument, operation time, blood loss, hospital stay and complications were recorded. The pathogenic organism and treatments for infection were also described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of wound infection in diabetic patients was 10.3% compared with 0.7% in non-diabetic patients (p = 0.003). Body mass index and preoperative blood sugar were also significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.02, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with a diabetic history or preoperative hyperglycemia had a higher infection rate after posterior spinal instrumented fusion when compared with non-diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Taiwan 333, ROC.
authors.forename: Jen-Chung
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Wen-Jer
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lih-Huei
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chi-Chien
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Niu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose