Within the NSQIP database, 275,107 patients were identified who underwent primary THA for osteoarthritis in the years 2007-2020 in the United States. After excluding subjects without preoperative AST and platelet lab values, 129,998 patients remained. Finally, 104,633 total patients were included for analysis in this study, after cases were excluded for missing height/weight, discharge destination, ASA class and baseline functional status (Figure 1). Of these, 103,678 (99.1%) of subjects were sorted into the normal APRI group, 444 (0.4%) had some liver damage, 256 (0.2%) had significant fibrosis, and 253 (0.2%) had cirrhosis.
Patient sex varied significant between APRI groups, with only 45% males in the normal APRI group compared to 56.3% in the some liver damage group (p<0.001), 59% in the significant fibrosis group (p<0.001), and 54.2% in the cirrhosis group (p=0.004). The distribution of ages across groups also varied, with the normal group have the greatest distribution of individuals above 65 years (normal: 55.1%, some liver damage: 39.9%, significant fibrosis: 34.9%, cirrhosis: 38.7%, all p<0.001). Compared to the normal APRI group (80.4% obese), the some liver damage group had fewer obese patients (75.6% obese) (p=0.031), as did the and the cirrhosis group (70.3) (p=0.002). Moreover, the significant fibrosis group had less functional independence at baseline (6.7% dependent) compared to the normal APRI cohort (2.1% dependent) (p<0.001). Of note, frailty scores did not vary between groups (all p>0.05). Contrarily, ASA class distribution was different between groups, with some liver damage patients (62.8%), significant fibrosis (56.6%) and cirrhosis (67.2%) patients having a significantly greater percentage of subjects with ASA class 3 or higher compared to normal APRI patients (47.6%) (all p<0.05). The abnormal APRI groups also tended to have more smokers (all p<0.001) and bleeding disorders (normal: 2.6% with bleeding disorder, some liver damage: 13.1% with bleeding disorder, significant fibrosis: 13.3% with bleeding disorder, cirrhosis: 16.6% with bleeding disorder, all p<0.001) compared to the normal APRI cohort. Distribution of steroid users, patients with hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease did not vary between cohorts (Table 1).
Regarding complications, major and minor complications and minor complications, were more prevalent in patients with some liver damage (12.8% major complications, 16.9% minor complications), significant fibrosis (14.1% major complications, 17.6% minor complications), and cirrhosis patients (12.6% major complications, 17% minor complications) compared to normal APRI subjects (5% major complications, 8.2% minor complications) (all p<0.001). Rates of pneumonia, bleeding transfusions, readmission, reoperation, non-home discharge and mortality also increased in all abnormal APRI cohorts compared to the normal APRI group (all p<0.05). Pneumonia was more prevalent in some liver damage (1.4%) (p=0.008) and significant fibrosis (1.6%) (p=0.017) patients than in normal APRI patients (0.4%). Similarly, reintubation and failure to wean off the vent were more common in some liver disease and cirrhosis patients compared to the normal APRI group, while the significant fibrosis group was at increased risk for urinary tract infection, superficial incisional surgical site infection and organ site infection (all p<0.05). Finally, periprosthetic fracture was more common in patients with some liver disease (2.5%) (p=0.009) and patients with significant fibrosis (3.5%) (p=0.002) compared to patients with normal APRI (1.1%) (Table 2).
In a multivariate model, patients with some liver damage, significant fibrosis, or cirrhosis had a much higher likelihood of major complication, minor complication, bleeding requiring intraoperative or postoperative transfusion, readmission, and non-home discharge compared to normal APRI patients (all p<0.05). Some liver damage also increased risk for pneumonia (OR: 2.673, 95% CI: [1.174, 6.088], p=0.019), failure to wean off the ventilator (OR: 5.600, 95% CI: [1.339, 23.435], p=0.018) and periprosthetic fracture (OR: 2.254, 95% CI: [1.231, 4.126], p=0.008). Similarly, significant fibrosis increased risk for pneumonia (OR: 3.226, 95% CI: [1.173, 8.867], p=0.023) and periprosthetic fracture (OR: 3.246, 95% CI: [1.656, 6.361], p=0.001). Lastly, cirrhosis was associated with a greater risk of developing septic shock (OR: 7.531, 95% CI: [1.754, 32.346], p=0.007) and experiencing failure of weaning off the ventilator (OR: 12.892, 95% CI: [3.824, 43.458], p<0.001) (Table 3).