<![CDATA[Background: Postoperative complications remain a concern in orthopedic surgery. Preoperative platelet count may reflect physiological vulnerability and provide additional information for perioperative risk assessment. However, evidence regarding its association with postoperative complications in heterogeneous orthopedic populations remains limited. This study examined the association between preoperative platelet count and postoperative complications. Methods: This retrospective secondary analysis included 125 adult patients undergoing orthopedic surgery at a tertiary referral hospital in West Java, Indonesia, from January 1 to January 31, 2024. We defined postoperative complications as at least one clinically documented event before discharge and analyzed them as a binary composite outcome. We analyzed platelet count continuously per 50 ×10³/µL increase. We performed univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression, with the latter adjusted for BMI and operative time. Results: Sixteen patients (12.8%) experienced postoperative complications. Median platelet count was 279 ×10³/µL (IQR, 225–346). Patients with complications had higher platelet counts than those without complications (416.0 vs. 270.0 ×10³/µL; p<0.001). Each 50 ×10³/µL increase in platelet count was associated with higher odds of complications in univariable analysis (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.18–1.83; p=0.001) and remained associated after adjustment for BMI and operative time (aOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.17–1.78; p=0.001). Conclusion: Higher preoperative platelet counts were associated with postoperative complications. Platelet count may serve as a complementary marker for perioperative risk assessment but should not be interpreted as a causal risk factor or used in isolation. Further studies should assess nonlinear associations and characterize specific complications.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
