LACE+ index as a predictor of 90-day plastic surgery outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: This study used coarsened exact matching to assess the ability of the LACE+ index to predict adverse outcomes after plastic surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Two-year retrospective study (2016-2018). METHODS: LACE+ scores were retrospectively calculated for all patients undergoing plastic surgery at a multicenter health system (N= 5744). Coarsened exact matching was performed to sort patient data before analysis. Outcomes including unplanned hospital readmission, emergency department visits, and reoperation were compared for patients in different LACE+ score quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). RESULTS: A total of 2970 patient procedures were matche during coarsened exact matching. Increased LACE+ score significantly predicted readmission within 90 days of discharge for Q4. versus Q1 (6.28% vs 1.91%; P = .003), 04 versus Q2 (12.30% vs 5.56%; P <.001), and QZ. versus Q3 (13.84% vs 7.33%; P <.001). Increased LACE+ score also significantly predicted emergency department visits within 90 days for 04 versus Q1 (9.29% vs 3.01%; P <.001), 04 versus Q2 (11.31% vs 3.57%; P <.0011, and Q4 versus Q3 (13.70% vs 8.48%; P = .003). Higher LACE+ score also significantly predicted secondary reoperation within 90 days for Q4 versus 01 (3.83% vs 1.37%; P = .035), Q4 versus Q2 (5.95% vs 3.37%; P = .042), and Q4 versus Q3 (7.50% vs 3.26%; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that the LACE+ index may be suitable as a prediction model for patient outcomes in a plastic surgery population. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that the LACE+ index may be suitable as a prediction model for patient outcomes in a plastic surgery population.