Comparison of early postoperative complicationsbetween diabetic or nondiabetic patients undergoing colorectal surgery

Colorectal surgery, like all surgical procedures, can cause 'stress hyperglycemia' which is a physiological response to stress. Stress hyperglycemia is a risk factor for postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a difference between the incidence of early postoperative complications in patients with and without diabetes who undergoing colorectal surgery and investigate the relationship between hyperglycemia and early postoperative complications. The study included 296 diabetic and non-diabetic colorectal surgery patients whose data could be accessed using patient registration programs at VKV American Hospital and Koç University Hospital. Complications such as anastomotic leakage, ileus, surgical site infection, ischemia, pneumonia etc. which were developed from the early period until postoperative 30th day were evaluated. In perioperative period, hyperglycemia (hyperglycemia was defined as glucose levels >180 mg/dL for diabetic patients, ≥126 mg/dL for non-diabetic or newly diagnosed) and stress hyperglycemia was found to be 48,6%, 7,4% respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between postoperative hyperglycemia and early postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (p<0.05). The same result was not shown in the regression model with many independent variables. There was no statistically significant difference between diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients about postoperative complications. In our study, factors such as surgery is performed by a single team with elective conditions, early oral feeding, low number of unrecognized diabetes patients may have affected the outcomes. It seems that clinical trials are needed to evaluate all aspects of the relationship between perioperative hyperglycemia and postoperative complications.