STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine outcomes in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) undergoing deformity correction with and without glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1A) therapy.
OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: GLP-1As, widely used in diabetes management, have recently been linked to reduced postoperative complications. However, their role in spinal surgery remains underexplored.
METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Database (2005-2025) utilizing Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes for patients undergoing spinal deformity correction because of ASD. Patients prescribed GLP-1As within 1 year of surgery were 1:1 propensity-score matched with those who were not using GLP-1As. The cohort was matched according to patient demographics and comorbidities. Surgical outcomes between groups were analyzed at 1- and 2-year intervals. Significance was defined as p <0.05.
RESULTS: At 1 and 2 years following surgery, patients taking GLP-1As exhibited significantly lower odds of pseudoarthrosis, hardware failures, wound dehiscence, infections, thromboembolic events, readmissions, and mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal a significant reduction in the rates of pseudoarthrosis, hardware failure, readmission, and mortality in patients treated with GLP-1As. These results align with the recent literature, pointing to a potential complementary therapy in ASD management. Further studies characterizing the mechanism by which GLP-1As affect postoperative spinal physiology are warranted to assess their utility in optimizing patient outcomes.
