Effect of Preoperative Lipidemic Control on Retear Rates After Rotator Cuff Repair in Patients With Hyperlipidemia

Background: In patients with hyperlipidemia, the risk of retear increases after rotator cuff repair (RCR). In particular, it has been reported that preoperative low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level affects cuff integrity. However, there are no studies assessing whether lipidemic control affects cuff healing. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of preoperative lipidemic control on cuff integrity after arthroscopic RCR across cardiovascular disease risk groups in patients with hyperlipidemia. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients with hyperlipidemia who underwent arthroscopic double-row suture bridge RCR between 2014 and 2019. The included patients had LDL-C tested within 1 month before surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging was conducted 6 months after surgery to evaluate the integrity of the repaired cuff tendon. Patients were divided into groups of low, moderate, high, and very high risk according to the 4th Korean Dyslipidemia Guidelines. On the basis of the target LDL-C set in each risk group, patients were categorized into 2 groups: group C (controlled hyperlipidemia, less than target LDL-C) and group U (uncontrolled hyperlipidemia, target LDL-C or greater). The correlation between serum lipid profile, lipidemic control, and post-RCR integrity was evaluated. Results: A total of 148 patients were analyzed, 51 in group U and 97 in group C. The retear rate was significantly higher in group U than in group C (23/51 [45.1%] vs 18/97 [18.6%], respectively; P = .001). The proportion of group U was significantly higher in the retear group than in the healing group (56.1% vs 26.2%; P = .001). In addition, the proportions of patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) (19.5% vs 3.7%; P = .002) and mediolateral (2.6 ± 1.2 cm vs 1.7 ± 1.1 cm; P < .001) and anteroposterior (2.2 ± 1.1 cm vs 1.6 ± 0.8 cm; P = .003) tear sizes were significantly different between the retear and healing groups, respectively. No significant difference in serum lipid profile, including LDL-C level (119.6 ± 31.3 vs 116.7 ± 37.2; P = .650), was observed between the retear and healing groups. Multivariate regression analysis identified uncontrolled hyperlipidemia (OR, 4.005; P = .001), uncontrolled DM (OR, 5.096; P = .022), and mediolateral tear size (OR, 1.764; P = .002) as independent risk factors for retear. The 2.0-cm mediolateral size cutoff and the 3 independent risk factors had significant associations with retear. Conclusion: Poor preoperative lipidemic control was significantly associated with poor healing after RCR. In addition to large mediolateral tear size, uncontrolled hyperlipidemia and DM were significant risk factors for retear. Moreover, poor lipidemic control compared with the recommended target level before surgery was more correlated with an increased retear rate than a preoperative LDL-C level.