Early post-operative glucose levels are an independent risk factor for infection after peripheral vascular surgery. A retrospective study.

Objective: To evaluate whether hyperglycaemia in the first 48 h after infrainguinal vascular surgery is a risk factor for post-operative infection, independent from factors associated with insulin resistance and surgical stress.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Patients And Methods: Patients who underwent infrainguinal vascular surgery in our hospital between March 1998 and March 2003 were included. Glucose values until 48 h after surgery were retrieved from laboratory reports. Post-operative infections, treated with antibiotics, during hospital stay were scored until 30 days after surgery. Data were analysed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: At least one post-operative glucose value was retrieved for 211/275 (77%) patients. The incidence of post-operative infections was 84/275 (31%). When corrected for factors associated with insulin resistance and surgical stress, post-operative glucose levels were found to be an independent risk factor for post-operative infections (odds ratio top quartile versus lowest quartile: 5.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-17.1; P=0.007).

Conclusion: Post-operative glucose levels appear to be an independent risk factor for infections after infrainguinal vascular surgery. This finding requires confirmation in a prospective study.