For a retrospective study published in Surgery, researchers used the Nationwide Readmission Database of 2019 to investigate the impact of disability on postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing emergency general surgery procedures. Wardah Rafaqat, MBBS, and colleagues analyzed data from 378,733 patients and found that 1.6% of them had at least one disability, predominantly motor impairment. Patients with disabilities had higher rates of low household income and comorbidities. Propensity-matched analysis revealed that disability was significantly associated with increased 30-day readmission rates (17.2% vs 12.7%), infectious complications (29.8% vs 19.5%), and prolonged hospital stays (8 vs 6 days). Motor impairment demonstrated the strongest association with adverse outcomes. Dr. Rafaqat and colleagues called for further investigation into the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities and recommended targeted interventions to optimize postoperative care for patients with disabilities.
