Hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for predicting early postoperative complications after proximal humerus fracture fixation.

Background: Hypoalbuminemia is a marker for malnourishment and is associated with poor outcomes in the setting of hip fractures, periprosthetic joint fractures, and spine surgery. We hypothesized that hypoalbuminemia is associated with higher rates of early complication in patients undergoing surgical treatment for proximal humerus fractures.

Methods: Utilizing the ACS NSQIP database, all proximal humerus fractures treated with plate fixation were extracted from 2006 to 2015. Two cohorts were compared based on hypoalbuminemia (albumin <3.5 g/dL) versus normoalbuminemia (albumin >3.5 g/dL). Patient demographics and postoperative complications were analyzed with multivariable regression.

Results: Out of 916 patients undergoing PHF surgery, 290(31.7%) satisfied criteria for hypoalbuminemia (mean age: 65.9, female: 71%). Among 339 obese patients with BMI>30, 87 (25.7%) were hypoalbuminemic. Patients with hypoalbuminemia were overall at higher risk of any (29.7% vs 12.1%, p < 0.001), major (10.0% vs 2.4%, p < 0.001), and minor complications (24.1% vs 11.0%, p < 0.001) as well as readmissions (12.7% vs 5.1%, p < 0.001). Obese hypoalbuminemic patients had similar rates of complication as non-obese hypoalbuminemic patients. Multivariable regression showed that hypoalbuminemia had an odds ratio of 1.85(p = 0.003) for predicting any complication within 30 days of surgery.

Conclusion: Hypoalbuminemia is associated with higher risk for complications and readmission after PHFs. It occurs more frequently in patients with chronic disease and is predictive of malnourishment. Paradoxically, hypoalbuminemia is not uncommon in obese patients.

Level Of Evidence: III; Retrospective Cohort Study.