The effect of acupuncture on reducing postoperative complications in fracture patients: A retrospective analysis using the TriNetX database

Abstract

Background

Bone fracture is a common orthopedic condition that affects millions of people worldwide. The management frequently involves surgery, which requires hospitalization. Patients with fractures often have a risk of developing complications, including pain, inflammation, infection, delayed healing, thrombosis, and organ failure. Acupuncture is widely used for conditions such as pain, respiratory issues, urinary system disorders, and gastrointestinal discomfort.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing postoperative complications in fracture patients. Using the TriNetX platform, we identified individuals hospitalized for their first fracture surgery and performed 1: 1 propensity score matching. Patients who received three or more acupuncture treatments within one week (n = 433) were compared to those who received none (n = 433), with matching based on age, sex, race, BMI, comorbidities, and medications (standardized mean differences). Postoperative complications within 180 days were analyzed using risk percentages, risk ratios, odds ratios, Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank tests, and hazard ratios, all reported with 95 % confidence intervals and P-values.

Results

Fourteen patients in the acupuncture group experienced respiratory failure with a risk of 3.2 %, while 29 patients in the non-acupuncture group developed respiratory failure with a risk of 6.7 %. The risk ratio was 0.48 (95 % CI 0.26–0.90) and the OR was 0.47 (95 % CI 0.24–0.89). The Kaplan-Meier analysis found a significantly higher survival probability in the acupuncture group (log-rank test P = 0.01; HR 0.44, 95%CI 0.23–0.83).

Conclusions

Acupuncture appeared to have the potential to reduce postoperative complications in bone fracture patients. Further large-scale studies are needed to provide stronger evidence.