Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) involves a diverse group of head blunt and/or penetrating injuries and is a leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for one-third of all injury-related deaths. A post-injury hyperglycemic state may commonly impact TBI prognosis and strongly correlate with injury severity. Diabetes mellitus (DM) may also be a source of concomitant hyperglycemia that can worsen prognosis, with previous literature suggesting that DM could be an independent predictor of poor outcome and mortality after TBI. Methods: Using the multi-center, national TriNetX database, we performed a propensity score-matched analysis of severe TBI patients with (DM) and without DM (NDM) from 2014 to 2024. We examined the risk of mortality and complications, including sepsis, cerebral infarction, and pulmonary embolism. We also performed a sub-group analysis comparing the risk of mortality and complications between patients with either insulin-dependent or insulin-independent forms of DM. Results: A total of 26,019 patients were included (4604 DM vs. 21,415 NDM). After propensity score matching, patients with DM had a significantly lower risk of mortality (RR: 0.815; 95% CI: 0.771–0.861; p < 0.05) and ventilator dependency (RR: 0.902; 95% CI: 0.844–0.963; p < 0.05) compared to NDM patients. However, patients with DM had a significantly higher risk of cerebral infarctions, seizures, pneumonia, and sepsis (p < 0.05). Sub-group analysis found no significant difference in mortality or complications between insulin-dependent and insulin-independent forms of DM. Conclusion: Our results suggest that hyperglycemia secondary to DM plays a complicated role in the outcomes after severe TBI. Unexpectedly, we identified both increased and decreased complications in patients with DM. These results reflect the current challenges in the literature surrounding pre-existing DM in patients’ outcomes, the impact of diabetic medications on patient outcomes, and the changing role of aggressive glucose management in critical care patients.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of mortality and disability, particularly in patients on anticoagulation therapy. While anticoagulants are linked to higher TBI mortality, the specific impact of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) on severe TBI (sTBI) outcomes remains unclear, especially in light of newer reversal agents. Therefore, this study evaluates long-term mortality and complication risks associated with pre-injury use of DOACs and VKAs in sTBI patients from a large, real-world cohort. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX global research network, identifying patients with sTBI between 2016 and 2022. Patients were grouped based on pre-injury anticoagulant use: DOAC, VKA, or none. Propensity score matching was performed, adjusting for age, comorbidities, and baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-injury. Secondary outcomes included hospital and surgical complications up to 30 days post-injury. Results: A total of 40,563 patients met the inclusion criteria. At all time intervals, no significant mortality differences were found between the PSM-matched groups. Conclusions: In patients with sTBI, pre-injury DOAC or VKA use was not associated with increased short- or long-term mortality. These findings suggest that, with current perioperative practices, anticoagulation can be managed without adversely affecting outcomes.

Chordomas are rare malignant tumors arising from embryonic remnants of the notochord, most commonly affecting the axial skeleton. Although advances have been made in surgical resection and radiation therapy, systemic treatment options remain limited. Bone-modifying agents (BMAs), including zoledronic acid and denosumab, as well as multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) like lenvatinib and cabozantinib, have emerged as potential targeted therapies based on preclinical models. However, comparative real-world data evaluating their outcomes in chordoma patients is lacking. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX Research Network. Patients with chordoma (ICD-10-CM C41.0, C41.2, C41.4) were stratified into treatment groups based on receipt of zoledronic acid, denosumab, or multikinase inhibitors (MKIs). Propensity score matching was used to adjust for baseline confounders. Outcomes evaluated at 5 years post-diagnosis included all-cause mortality, pathologic fracture, spinal cord compression, and osteonecrosis. Risk ratios with 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Compared to denosumab, zoledronic acid was associated with a higher 5-year mortality risk, but a lower osteonecrosis risk. Comparisons involving MKIs showed no difference in mortality. No pathologic fractures were reported across cohorts. Spinal cord compression was not different among treatments. This study highlights potential differences in survival and skeletal-related outcomes among chordoma patients treated with BMAs, specifically denosumab and MKIs. These preliminary findings underscore the need for prospective studies to better define optimal systemic therapies for this rare malignancy.

Introduction: Chordomas are rare, locally aggressive tumors of the spine and skull base typically managed with maximal surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Although postoperative radiotherapy improves local control, the optimal interval for initiation remains uncertain, as early delivery may exacerbate wound-related complications while delayed initiation may allow tumor progression. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis using the multi-center, national TriNetX Research Network. Adults with histologically confirmed skull base and/or spinal chordoma who underwent surgical resection followed by radiotherapy were stratified into ultraearly (≤2 weeks), standard (4–6 weeks), or delayed (≥10 weeks) radiotherapy initiation groups. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for demographic and clinical covariates. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 1, 3, and 5-years. Secondary outcomes included wound dehiscence, surgical site infection, and neurologic complications. Results: A total of 378 patients met the inclusion criteria. Ultraearly radiotherapy was not associated with significant differences in mortality at 1 year (RR 1.338; 95% CI 0.833–2.15; p = 0.22), 3 years (RR 1.233; 95% CI 0.858–1.772; p = 0.25), or 5 years (RR 1.196; 95% CI 0.876–1.633; p = 0.25) compared with standard timing. Delayed radiotherapy, however, demonstrated significantly reduced mortality at 1 year (RR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.331–0.851; p = 0.01), 3 years (RR 0.641; 95% CI 0.449–0.914; p = 0.01), and 5 years (RR 0.654; 95% CI 0.473–0.905; p = 0.01) compared with standard timing. Event counts for secondary outcomes were insufficient for robust statistical comparison. Conclusions: Radiotherapy timing following surgical resection of chordoma did not impact short-term survival, but delayed radiotherapy significantly decreased 1, 3 and 5-year mortality. Rare secondary complications were seen. These findings suggest that the delayed initiation of radiotherapy may be helpful for patients with chordoma, supporting the need for prospective, long-term studies to clarify the balance between oncologic efficacy and perioperative morbidity.

Objectives: As the population ages, hip fractures are projected to increase. These fractures carry high morbidity and mortality in older adults. Dementia, common among these patients, may further worsen outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of preexisting dementia on mortality after surgical repair of femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures, with the study hypothesis that the presence of preoperative dementia can result in increased mortality postoperatively. Methods: Using the TriNetX Research Network, 68,639 patients aged 65 to 90 years who underwent surgical treatment of femoral neck or intertrochanteric fractures from 2015 to 2025 were identified. Patients were grouped based on the presence or absence of a dementia diagnosis before fracture. Surgeries included hemiarthroplasty, internal fixation, or intramedullary nailing. Propensity score matching adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 90 days, 2, and 5 years for patients who had sufficient follow-up data. Secondary outcomes included 90-day readmissions and complications (pneumonia, stroke, urinary tract infection, and heart failure). Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Patients with dementia had higher mortality at all time points. In intertrochanteric fractures, dementia patients had increased mortality at 90 days (RR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.65; P < 0.001), 2 years (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.70; P < 0.001), and 5 years (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.78; P < 0.001). In femoral neck fractures, mortality was also higher at 90 days (RR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.63; P < 0.001), 2 years (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.70; P < 0.001), and 5 years (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.76; P < 0.001) in patients with dementia. At 90 days for both fracture types, the risk of mortality was nearly double among dementia patients. Similarly, 90-day readmissions and postoperative complications, including pneumonia, stroke, urinary tract infection, heart failure, and revision surgery, were statistically significantly higher among dementia patients. Conclusion: Preexisting dementia is associated with higher mortality after hip fracture repair in older adults, approaching nearly double at 90 days. Readmissions and complications are also markedly higher among dementia patients. These findings underscore the importance of tailored perioperative planning, enhanced care pathways for patients with cognitive impairment, and shared decision making between the patient, caregivers, and the care teams.

Background/Objectives: Spinal metastases from lung cancer cause substantial pain, instability, and neurologic compromise. Radiotherapy and kyphoplasty are standard treatment modalities, while radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has emerged as a potential adjunct for cytoreduction. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether RFA confers additional benefit when combined with kyphoplasty and radiotherapy in patients with lung cancer spinal metastases. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with lung cancer and spinal metastases from 2012–2024 using the TriNetX database. Patients were identified using International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes and stratified into two groups: kyphoplasty with radiotherapy alone versus kyphoplasty with radiotherapy and RFA. Propensity score matching was applied to balance demographic and clinical covariates. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included tumor recurrence, neurologic complications, and pain burden as assessed by opioid prescription rates. Risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: A total of 703 patients met inclusion criteria. After matching, no significant differences were observed between groups for 1-year mortality (RR 1.021, 95% CI 0.83–1.256), tumor recurrence (RR 0.989, 95% CI 0.789–1.238), neurologic complications (RR 1.052, 95% CI 0.563–1.967), or opioid use as a pain proxy (RR 0.986, 95% CI 0.76–1.28). Conclusions: The addition of RFA to kyphoplasty and radiotherapy did not significantly impact survival, recurrence, neurologic, or pain outcomes in patients with spinal metastases from lung cancer. These findings suggest that the incremental benefit of RFA in this setting is limited and emphasize the need for prospective studies to refine patient selection and treatment strategies.