Prevalence and outcomes of major psychiatric disorders preceding index surgery for degenerative thoracic/lumbar spine disease

The relationship between preexisting major psychiatric disorders and outcomes of spine surgery for degenerative thoracic/lumbar disease remains unclear. A 5% subset of inpatients was randomly selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 10,109 inpatients aged 18 years or over with degenerative thoracic/lumbar disease and underwent spine surgery met inclusion criteria. Major psychiatric disorders diagnosed by psychiatrists preceding index surgery, including anxiety disorder, depression disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and dementia, were identified. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and their differential risks on in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes were examined. 10.4% had major psychiatric disorders, of which depression (6.6%) and anxiety (4.9%) were most common. Logistic regression revealed increased risks of ventilator use in depression (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.04–2.54, p < 0.05), extended hospitalization length in bipolar (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.08–2.89, p < 0.05), and higher rehabilitation utilization in depression (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.06–1.47, p < 0.01) and bipolar (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.04–2.76, p < 0.05). Those patients with anxiety had a decreased risk of longer hospitalization duration (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.60–0.98, p < 0.05), while those with dementia and schizophrenia had no change in risks. Preoperative recognition of major psychiatric disorders for risk and treatment assessment is suggested as people with preexisting depression or bipolar disorder have worse outcomes after spine surgery.