The Impact of Diabetes on Critically Ill Small Bowel Resection Patients: A Population-Level Analysis

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Central Time

Location: Connections Central - RST 01

PL

Paige Lopez, n/a

Disclosure information not submitted.
Roberto A. Figueroa, BS

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.
TA

Truman Archer, n/a (he/him/his)

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.
Jonathan Chavira, BS

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.
Zeba Momin, n/a

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.
TV

Tetyana Vasylyeva, MD, PhD, DSc

Professor and Regional Assistant Dean for Research, Department of Pediatrics - Nephrology Section
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Disclosure information not submitted.
MN

Muhammad Nazim, MD

Dr.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Disclosure information not submitted.
GY

Gregory York, MD

Trauma Medical Director, Surgical Critical Care Specialist
Medical Center Hospital, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.
JG

John Garza, PhD

Doctor
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian Basin

Disclosure information not submitted.

Introduction: The impact of diabetes associated complications are well established in many areas of medicine; however, there is less understanding regarding whether diabetes in and of itself impacts complication rates of healing after resection of a small bowel obstruction. Small bowel obstruction is a large economic burden that causes major morbidity and mortality. Considerations for approaching post-operative small bowel obstruction depend upon concomitant conditions and should be explored.

Methods: We used publicly available data to conduct a population-based cohort study of adults admitted to intensive care units of acute care hospitals in Texas during 2016 Q1 through Q2 2024 with small bowel resection. Transfers, elective admissions, and discharges against medical advice were excluded. We used Clinical Classification Software Refined (CCSR) categories GIS011: Small bowel resection, END002: Diabetes mellitus without complications (DMNC), and END003: Diabetes mellitus with complications (DMC) to define the population and exposure levels. The outcome was in-hospital mortality. Overlap propensity score weighting was applied with results expressed as adjusted risk ratio and 95% confidence interval (aRR [95% CI]).

Results: Of 20,330 hospitalizations, 2,225 (11%) had DMC and 3,141 (15%) had DMNC. DMNC and non-DM patients had similar demographic and medical characteristics while DMC patients were older, with higher mean number of organ dysfunction and higher mean comorbidity index. Mortality rates were 17% for DMC, 11% for DMNC and 12% for non-DM patients. On adjusted analysis, in the overlap population, mortality was 15% for DMC, 13% for DMNC, and 14% for non-DM patients. Differences were not statistically significant (aRR 1.14 [95% CI 0.99 to 1.32]) for DMC vs non-DM and aRR 0.97 [95% CI 0.86-1.11]) for DMNC vs non-DM.

Conclusions: This analysis shows that diabetes alone does not increase the risk of mortality among critically-ill patients undergoing small bowel resection, as the DMNC patients do not demonstrate increased crude or risk adjusted mortality. Rather, the associated complications of diabetes and older age of the DMC group may be more likely indicators of mortality. Future study considerations include how diabetes affects length of stay and which complications it may be correlated with.