Published online Feb 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v17.i2.112856
Revised: October 16, 2025
Accepted: December 23, 2025
Published online: February 15, 2026
Processing time: 171 Days and 1 Hours
Diabetes is linked to extended hospitalization and a heightened risk of complications in multiple surgical settings. However, its precise influence on outcomes in patients undergoing meningioma resection is still inadequately comprehended.
To determine if diabetes prolongs hospital stay and elevates the risk of infection, cerebral edema, and neurological complications in patients undergoing menin
A retrospective study was conducted on 516 primary meningioma patients who underwent surgical resection between January 2018 and January 2022. Patients were categorized into non-diabetes (n = 411) and diabetes (n = 105) groups according to a clinical history of type 2 diabetes for a minimum of 6 months preceding diagnosis. The collected data encompassed baseline demographics, perioperative variables, blood glucose levels, inflammatory markers, brain edema grading, Karnofsky Performance Status, length of stay, and postoperative com
Significant differences in glycated hemoglobin levels were observed, with elevated values in the diabetes group (P < 0.05). The diabetes group exhibited higher rates of secondary or tertiary wound healing complications due to infection, lower postoperative albumin, higher postoperative platelet counts, white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein levels, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels (all P < 0.05). The diabetes group exhibited higher incidence of postoperative cerebral edema (P = 0.015), lower postoperative Karnofsky Performance Status scores (P = 0.011), longer hospital stays (P < 0.001), and longer intensive care unit stays (P < 0.001). Additionally, the diabetes group exhibited higher rates of seizures (P = 0.003) and wound infections (P < 0.001) and more complications (P < 0.001). Long-term outcomes showed higher tumor recurrence (P = 0.004) and mortality rates (P = 0.036) in the diabetes group, corroborated by Cox regression analysis as independent risk factors (recurrence: Adjusted hazard ratio = 8.92, P = 0.009; mortality: Adjusted hazard ratio = 10.12, P = 0.048).
Diabetes markedly extends hospital stay and elevates the risk of infection, cerebral edema, and neurological complications in patients with meningioma, underscoring the necessity for meticulous perioperative management and long-term follow-up for diabetic individuals undergoing meningioma surgery.
Core Tip: This retrospective study suggests that diabetes may be a significant modifier of recovery after meningioma surgery. Our findings indicate that patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) experienced higher rates of surgical site infection, clinically significant cerebral edema requiring intervention, prolonged hospitalization, and poorer long-term functional status. Furthermore, DM was associated with an increased risk of tumor recurrence and mortality in time-to-event analysis, suggesting a potential independent association. These results highlight the potential importance of recognizing DM as a key comorbidity that warrants careful perioperative management and vigilant long-term follow-up in this patient population.