Long-term steroid use and surgical site infection after emergency abdominal surgery

Abstract

Background: Long-term steroid users have an increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI), but few studies have focused on emergency surgery. We investigated the incidence of SSI in long-term steroid users after emergency abdominal surgery. Methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted. Among patients who underwent emergency surgery in the gastroenterology department, we compared the incidence of SSIs in long-term steroid users over the past five years with that in non-steroid users over the past year. Results: Thirty-five steroid-users and 227 non-steroid users were included in the analysis. Six (17.1%) patients in the steroid group and 14 (6.2%) in non-steroid group developed SSI, with a significantly higher incidence in the steroid group (P = 0.035). Four of the six SSI patients in the steroid group showed gastrointestinal perforation. Conclusion: After emergency abdominal surgery, the incidence of SSI was significantly higher in the steroid group.