What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to compare the risks of postoperative complications in malnourished versus obese patients undergoing spine surgery.

July 26, 2026Surgical Neurology International

What’s worse, obesity or malnutrition in patients undergoing multi-level posterior lumbar instrumentation?

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Authors

AKAydin Kaghazchi JKJanesh KarnatiUniversity of Cincinnati AAAhmed Ashraf

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Implication

Randomized trial compares postoperative outcomes in malnourished and obese patients, suggesting malnutrition correlates with higher reoperation rates.

Key Points

This research aims to compare the risks of postoperative complications in malnourished versus obese patients undergoing spine surgery.
Adult patients undergoing multi-level posterior lumbar instrumentation for lumbar spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis were identified from the TriNetX Research Network.
Malnutrition defined as serum albumin <3.5 g/dL and BMI <30 kg/m²; obesity defined as BMI ≥30 kg/m² with serum albumin ≥3.5 g/dL.
Propensity score matching adjusted for age, sex, race, and comorbidities.
Malnourished patients had higher odds of surgical site infection or wound dehiscence than obese/morbidly obese, though not statistically significant.
Malnourished patients had significantly higher odds of reoperation within 90 days than both obese and morbidly obese groups.
Poor nutritional status was a stronger predictor of adverse outcomes than high BMI.

Cite This Study

Kaghazchi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a65a962d3aea3239cd79311 https://doi.org/10.25259/sni_407_2026

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Implication

Randomized trial compares postoperative outcomes in malnourished and obese patients, suggesting malnutrition correlates with higher reoperation rates.

What’s worse, obesity or malnutrition in patients undergoing multi-level posterior lumbar instrumentation?

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

What’s worse, obesity or malnutrition in patients undergoing multi-level posterior lumbar instrumentation?

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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