End-stage renal disease patients have comparable results to renal transplant patients after shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) and renal transplant (RT) patients are known to have more perioperative and postoperative complications after arthroplasty surgeries when compared to patients without. We hypothesize that RT patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty (SA) have fewer systemic and surgical complications when compared to ESRD patients undergoing SA.

Methods: This was a retrospective review from the PearlDiver Patient Record Database. International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to identify patients who had undergone primary total and reverse shoulder arthroplasty, respectively, and subsequent surgical revisions. Unadjusted univariate analysis of patient demographics, Charlson Cormorbidty Index, and surgical complications at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years after was performed using chi-squared testing. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were subsequently performed for systemic complications and prosthesis outcomes at all time points.

Results: Of 1191 patients with ESRD or previous RT and who underwent either total shoulder arthroplasty or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, 1042 (87.5%) had ESRD and 149 (12.5%) had a previous RT. ESRD SA patients were more likely to have hypertension, liver disease, coronary artery disease, and hypothyroidism. Interestingly no statistical significance was found in multivariate analysis for systemic complications at 90 days, nor for surgical complications at the 90-day, 1-year, or 2-year mark between ESRD and RT cohorts.

Conclusion: SAs have comparable outcomes in ESRD and RT patients. The differing conclusions among studies might be partially accounted for by the demographic differences and comorbidities between these 2 patient populations. Providers should continue to provide appropriate counseling concerning risks, benefits, and timing of SA for these patients.