Correlation between Serum Cholesterol and Surgical Site Infections

Abstract

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most common postoperative complications, contributing to increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare costs. Alterations in serum lipid profiles may influence immune responses, inflammatory processes, and wound healing. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between serum lipid profile parameters and surgical site infections among patients undergoing operative procedures.

Materials and Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal West, Manipur, from December 2023 to January 2026. A total of 102 adult patients were included. Demographic characteristics, SSI status, and serum lipid profile parameters were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0. The Chi-square test, Pearson correlation, and independent-samples t-test were employed, with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: The mean age was 48.33 ± 10.21 years, and 58.8% of participants were female. SSI occurred in 43 patients (42.2%). Infection frequency increased significantly with age (p = 0.008), reaching 66.7% among patients aged 61–75 years. Gender was not significantly associated with SSI (p = 0.350). Mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL, and VLDL levels were 182.32, 191.20, 102.16, 41.97, and 38.20 mg/dL, respectively.

Conclusion: Increasing age was significantly associated with SSIs, whereas gender showed no significant association. Serum lipid parameters may have clinical relevance, but their predictive utility requires further investigation through larger prospective studies with preoperative lipid assessment.