Hyperlipidemia increases the risk of retear after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair

Background: Hyperlipidemia (HL) has been identified as a risk factor for rotator cuff tear, but no studies have evaluated its effects on healing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of HL and statin use on rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic repair. Methods: This was a retrospective review of 85 patients (86 shoulders) who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with postoperative ultrasound evaluation. Ultrasound findings were graded no retear, partial-thickness retear (PT), or full-thickness retear (FT). Results: Average age was 62.1 years (45.3-74.3 years). On ultrasound evaluation, 65 shoulders (75.5%) had no retear, 14 (16.3%) had PT, and 7 (8.1%) had FT. There was no significant difference in retear rate by age, technique, or tissue quality. There were 33 patients (38.8%) who had the diagnosis of HL, and all were taking a statin medication. Compared with patients without HL, patients with HL had significantly higher rates of FT (18.1% vs. 1.9%; P <.001) and PT (27.2% vs. 9.4%; P <.001). The total retear rate (PT and FT) for HL patients was significantly higher at 45.5% (15/33) compared with the patients without HL at 11.3% (6/53), with an odds ratio of 6.5 (P <.001). There was no difference in retear rate by dosage or type of statin mediation. Conclusion: After arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, HL was a risk factor for retear. Further investigation is warranted on this topic, and these results may help in managing expectations after surgery. (C) 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. All rights reserved.