Frailty predicts outcome of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in geriatric patients. Surg Endosc. 2013;27:1144-1150. [PMID: 23052539 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-012-2565-0]

Preoperative diagnosis of frailty

The aging world population obliges physicians to establish measures to optimize and estimate the outcomes of increasingly frail patients. Thus, in the last few years there has been an increase in the application of frailty indices. Multiple scales have emerged that can be applied in the perioperative setting. Each one has demonstrated some utility, either by way of establishing postoperative prognosis or as a method for the clinical optimization of patient care. Anaesthesiologists are offered a wide choice of scales, the characteristics and appropriate management of which they are often unaware. This narrative review aims to clarify the concept of frailty, describe its importance in the perioperative setting and evaluate the different scales that are most applicable to the perioperative setting. It will also establish paths for the future optimization of patient care.

Colonoscopy in the nonagenarian population

BACKGROUND

With increasing life expectancy, there is an increasing proportion of nonagenarians undergoing both elective and emergency surgical procedures. The decision as to whom will benefit from surgical procedures is however difficult to ascertain and still remains a challenge to clinicians. This study is aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of colonoscopy in the nonagenarian population, and to determine if the outcomes are acceptable for us to continue to offer such interventions.

METHODS

Retrospective study of patients of Dr. G.R (Gastroenterologist) and Dr. W.B (Colorectal Surgeon) between 1 January 2018 and 31 November 2022. All patients who were ≥90 years old and had a colonoscopy was included in the study. Exclusion criteria were patients who were less than 90 years old, had a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy as part of their surgical procedure.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

post-colonoscopy complications and length of stay.

SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

reasons for colonoscopy, significant colonoscopy findings, 30-day morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were included in the study. Median age was 91 (90-100) years old. 33.3% of the patients were males. Seventy percent of the patients were ASA 3. Median length of hospital stay was 1 day. 11.7% of patients were found to have colorectal malignancy. There were no complications after the colonoscopy. There were no 30-day re-admission, morbidity or mortality.

CONCLUSION

Colonoscopy can be performed safely in carefully selected nonagenarian patients with acceptable low complication rates.

Frailty predicts mortality in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleed: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Evidence on the impact of frailty in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleed (UGIB) is limited. This study aims to define the role of frailty as defined by Canadian Study of Health and Aging clinical frailty scale (CSHA-CFS) in predicting mortality in UGIB.

METHODS

A prospective single-center cohort study was conducted over 21 months on all consecutive patients with UGIB. Data on demographics, lab parameters, Glasgow Blatchford score, CSHA-CFS, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and AIMS65 score was recorded. The primary outcome was all-cause inpatient mortality. The secondary outcomes were all-cause 30-day mortality, 30-day rebleeding, 30-day readmission, hospital length of stay (LoS), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, need for repeat endoscopy, and need for blood transfusion. The data were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

There were 298 eligible patients, of which 63% were males, median age was 68 years, 44% were from non-English-speaking background, and 72% had major comorbidities. The all-cause inpatient and 30-day mortality were 9.4% and 10.7%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, CHSA-CFS was the independent predictor of all-cause inpatient mortality (OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.13-2.143; P = 0.010) and all-cause 30-day mortality (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.26-2.67; P = 0.002). CHSA-CFS was not a significant predictor of 30-day rebleed, 30-day readmission, ICU admission, hospital LoS, or need for blood transfusion.

CONCLUSION

Frailty is an important independent predictor of mortality in patients with UGIB. Frailty assessment can guide clinical decision making and allow targeting of health-care resource (Australia/New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry number: ACTRN12622000821796).

Frailty Is Superior to Age for Predicting Readmission, Prolonged Length of Stay, and Wound Infection in Elective Otology Procedures

OBJECTIVE

To determine the predictive ability of the 5-point modified frailty index relative to age in elective otology patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective database analysis.

SETTING

Multicenter, national database of surgical patients.

PATIENTS

We selected all elective surgical patients who received tympanoplasty, tympanomastoidectomy, mastoidectomy, revision mastoidectomy, and cochlear implant procedures from 2016 to 2019 from the National Surgical Quality Improvement database.

INTERVENTIONS

Therapeutic.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Readmission rates, discharge disposition, reoperation rates, and extended length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

Utilizing receiver operating characteristics with area under the curve (AUC) analysis, nonrobust status was determined to be a superior predictor relative to age of readmission (AUC = 0.628 [p < 0.001] versus AUC = 0.567 [p = 0.047], respectively) and open wound infection relative to age (AUC = 0.636 [p = 0.024] versus AUC = 0.619 [p = 0.048], respectively). Nonrobust otology patients were more likely to have dyspnea at rest and an American Society of Anesthesiology score higher than 2 before surgery (odds ratios, 13.304 [95% confidence interval, 2.947-60.056; p < 0.001] and 7.841 [95% confidence interval, 7.064-8.704; p < 0.001], respectively).

CONCLUSION

Nonrobust status was found to be a useful predictor of readmission and prolonged length of stay in patients undergoing elective otology procedures, which generally have low complication rate. Given the aging population and corresponding increase in otology disease, it is important to use age-independent risk stratification measures. Frailty may provide a useful risk stratification tool to select surgical candidates within the aging population.

Pyogenic Liver Abscess Complicating Acute Cholecystitis: Different Management Options

Acute cholecystitis, which is usually associated with gallstones is one of the most common surgical causes of emergency hospital admission and may be further complicated by mural necrosis, perforation and abscess formation. Perforation of the gallbladder is a relatively uncommon complication of acute cholecystitis (0.8–3.2% in recent reviews). The intrahepatic perforation causing a liver abscess is an extremely rare condition, anecdotally reported in the scientific literature, even in the rare types of subacute or acute perforation. Liver abscess caused by gallbladder perforation can be a life-threatening complication with a reported mortality of 5.6%. The treatment of synchronous pyogenic liver abscess and acute cholecystitis may be challenging. We reported three cases of liver abscess due to acute cholecystitis in which different therapeutical approaches were employed. The first case was treated with antibiotics and interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy; the second case was treated with emergency cholecystectomy; and the third case with percutaneous aspiration of the abscess only. The appropriate therapeutical method in these cases depends on the patient’s clinical condition, the on-site expertise that is available in the hospital, and the experience of the surgeon.

Factors Associated with Malnutrition and Its Impact on Postoperative Outcomes in Older Patients

Malnutrition is associated with dismal treatment outcomes in older patients but its impact in geriatric surgery has not been studied extensively. Herein, we report the prevalence of malnutrition risk, its risk factors and its association with postoperative outcomes in older patients undergoing operations of general surgery. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database including patients older than 65 years who were to undergo general surgery operations between 2012 and 2017. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) was used for nutritional risk. Demographics, socioeconomic data, site and magnitude of the operation, various measures of comorbidity and functional dependence as well as postoperative complications based on Clavien–Dindo classification and length of stay were recorded. There were 501 patients. A total of 28.6% of them were at intermediate malnutrition risk (MUST = 1) and 14.6% were at high malnutrition risk (MUST ≥ 2). Variables independently associated with malnutrition risk (MUST ≥ 1) were smoking (Odds Ratio, OR:1.6, p = 0.041), upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract surgery (OR:20.4, p < 0.001), hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery (OR:3.7, p = 0.001), lower GI surgery (OR:5.2, p < 0.001) and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class III/IV (OR:2.8, p = 0.001). In the multiple regression analysis adjusted for several confounding variables, the MUST score was significantly associated with postoperative death (OR:9.1, p = 0.047 for MUST = 1 and OR:11.9, p = 0.035 for MUST score ≥ 2) and postoperative hospital stay (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.3, p = 0.041 for MUST = 1 and 1.7, p < 0.001 for MUST ≥ 2). Malnutrition risk was highly prevalent in this sample, particularly in patients with operations of the gastrointestinal tract, in patients with poor physical status and it was associated with postoperative mortality and length of stay.

Safety of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis in the Elderly: A Multivariate Analysis of Risk Factors for Intra and Postoperative Complications

Background and Objectives: This study investigates the impact of age upon the safety and outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed for acute cholecystitis, by a multivariate approach. Materials and Methods: A 2-year retrospective study was performed on 333 patients admitted for acute cholecystitis who underwent emergency cholecystectomy. The patients included in the study group were divided into four age subgroups: A ≤49 years; B: 50-64 years; C: 65-79 years; D ≥80 years. Results: Surgery after 72 h from onset (p = 0.007), severe forms, and higher American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification and Charlson comorbidity index scores (p < 0.001) are well correlated with older age. Both cardiovascular and surgical related complications were significantly higher in patients over 50 years (p = 0.045), which also proved to be a turning point for increasing the rate of conversion and open surgery. However, the comparative incidence did not differ significantly between patients aged from 50-64 years, 65-79 years and over 80 years (6.03%, 9.09% and 5.8%, respectively). Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) was the most frequently used surgical approach in the treatment of acute cholecystitis in all age groups, with better outcomes than open cholecystectomy in terms of decreased overall and postoperative hospital stay, reduced surgery related complications, and the incidence of acute cardiovascular events in the early postoperative period (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The degree of systemic inflammation was the main factor that influenced the adverse outcome of LC in the elderly. Among comorbidities, diabetes was associated with increased surgical and systemic postoperative morbidity, while stroke and chronic renal insufficiency were correlated with a high risk of cardiovascular complications. With adequate perioperative care, the elderly has much to gain from the benefits of a minimally invasive approach, which allows a decreased rate of postoperative complications and a reduced hospital stay.

The impact of frailty in older women undergoing pelvic floor reconstructive surgery

IMPORTANCE AND OBJECTIVE

Women ≥ 65 years old commonly undergo pelvic surgery but are often not screened for coexisting frailty, the presence of which increases the risk of postoperative complications. In the absence of a current consensus, the objective of this review is to discuss the incorporation of a frailty assessment into the work-up of women undergoing pelvic floor reconstructive surgery.

METHODS

This is a review of the literature, focusing on measurements of frailty including the Edmonton Frail Scale, FRAIL scale, Groningen Frailty Indicator, frailty phenotype, Tilburg Frailty Indicator, a 70-item frailty index, Mini-Cog score, Charlson comorbidity index, timed up and go test, and life-space assessment. Their use in the perioperative management of older women undergoing pelvic floor reconstructive surgery will be discussed.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Understanding the concept of frailty and how it may affect surgical decisions and outcomes is essential. The timed up and go test, life space assessment and Mini-Cog assessment at a minimum should be considered preoperatively in patients over the age of 65 years old planning pelvic floor or elective surgery.

Perioperative outcomes after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is increasingly performed in an ever ageing population; however, the risks are poorly quantified. The study aims to review the current evidence to quantify further the postoperative risk of cholecystectomy in the elderly population compared to younger patients.

METHOD

A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases were conducted including studies reporting laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly population. A meta-analysis was reported in accordance with the recommendations of the Cochrane Library and PRISMA guidelines. Primary outcome was overall complications and secondary outcomes were conversion to open surgery, bile leaks, postoperative mortality and length of stay.

RESULTS

This review identified 99 studies incorporating 326,517 patients. Increasing age was significantly associated with increased rates of overall complications (OR 2.37, CI95% 2.00-2.78), major complication (OR 1.79, CI95% 1.45-2.20), risk of conversion to open cholecystectomy (OR 2.17, CI95% 1.84-2.55), risk of bile leaks (OR 1.50, CI95% 1.07-2.10), risk of postoperative mortality (OR 7.20, CI95% 4.41-11.73) and was significantly associated with increased length of stay (MD 2.21 days, CI95% 1.24-3.18).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative outcomes such as overall and major complications appear to be significantly higher in all age cut-offs in this meta-analysis. This study demonstrated there is a sevenfold increase in perioperative mortality which increases by tenfold in patients > 80 years old. This study appears to confirm preconceived suspicions of higher risks in elderly patients undergoing cholecystectomy and may aid treatment planning and informed consent.

Influence of Frailty on Outcome in Older Patients Undergoing Non-Cardiac Surgery - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frailty is increasingly recognized as a better predictor of adverse postoperative events than chronological age. The objective of this review was to systematically evaluate the effect of frailty on postoperative morbidity and mortality. Studies were included if patients underwent non-cardiac surgery and if frailty was measured by a validated instrument using physical, cognitive and functional domains. A systematic search was performed using EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, CENTRAL and PubMed from 1990 - 2017. Methodological quality was assessed using an assessment tool for prognosis studies. Outcomes were 30-day mortality and complications, one-year mortality, postoperative delirium and discharge location. Meta-analyses using random effect models were performed and presented as pooled risk ratios with confidence intervals and prediction intervals. We included 56 studies involving 1.106.653 patients. Eleven frailty assessment tools were used. Frailty increases risk of 30-day mortality (31 studies, 673.387 patients, risk ratio 3.71 [95% CI 2.89-4.77] (PI 1.38-9.97; I2=95%) and 30-day complications (37 studies, 627.991 patients, RR 2.39 [95% CI 2.02-2.83). Risk of 1-year mortality was threefold higher (six studies, 341.769 patients, RR 3.40 [95% CI 2.42-4.77]). Four studies (N=438) reported on postoperative delirium. Meta-analysis showed a significant increased risk (RR 2.13 [95% CI 1.23-3.67). Finally, frail patients had a higher risk of institutionalization (10 studies, RR 2.30 [95% CI 1.81- 2.92]). Frailty is strongly associated with risk of postoperative complications, delirium, institutionalization and mortality. Preoperative assessment of frailty can be used as a tool for patients and doctors to decide who benefits from surgery and who doesn’t.

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index is a powerful predictor of adverse outcome in the elderly emergency surgery patient

BACKGROUND

The degree to which malnutrition impacts perioperative outcomes in the elderly emergency surgery (ES) patient remains unknown. We aimed to study the relationship between malnutrition, as measured by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and postoperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing ES.

METHODS

Using the 2007 to 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, all patients 65 years or older undergoing ES were included in our study. The GNRI, defined as (1.489 × albumin [g/L]) + (41.7 × [weight/ideal weight]) was calculated for each patient in the database. Patients with missing height, weight, or preoperative albumin data were excluded. Patients were divided into four malnutrition groups: very severe (GNRI < 73), severe (GNRI, 73-82), moderate (GNRI, 82-92), and mild (GNRI, 92-98). Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index greater than 98 constituted the normal nutrition group. Risk-adjusted multivariable logistic regressions were performed to study the relationship between malnutrition-measured using either GNRI, albumin level, or body mass index less than 18.5 kg/m-and the following postoperative outcomes: 30-day mortality, 30-day morbidity (including infectious and noninfectious complications), and hospital length of stay. The relationship between GNRI score and 30-day mortality for six common ES procedures was then assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 82,725 patients were included in the final analyses. Of these, 55,214 were malnourished with GNRI less than 98 (66.74%). Risk-adjusted multivariable analyses showed that, as malnutrition worsened from mild to very severe, the risk of mortality, morbidity, and the hospital length of stay progressively increased (all p < 0.05). Patients with very severe malnutrition had at least a twofold increased likelihood of mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.57-3.03), deep vein thrombosis (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.77-2.42), and respiratory failure (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.81-2.11). Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index predicted mortality better than albumin or body mass index alone for ES.

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition, measured using GNRI, is a strong independent predictor of adverse outcomes in the elderly ES patient and could be used to assess the nutrition status and counsel patients (and families) preoperatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic study, Level IV.

Frailty assessment and postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing general surgery

BACKGROUND

Frailty is an emerging concept in modern general surgery because of its correlation with adverse outcomes. More frail older patients are undergoing general surgery due to the rapid aging of the population and the effect of the "baby boom" generation. However, there is no consensus on the definition of frailty and on ways to assess its severity and effect.

PURPOSE

To describe the definition and epidemiology, measurement tools, and the effect of frailty on postoperative outcomes after general surgery.

METHODS

PubMed and Google Scholar databases were comprehensively searched.

RESULTS

Frailty is a syndrome defined as increased vulnerability to stressors due to a decline in physiological function and reserve among organ systems, resulting in adverse outcomes. Numerous tools have been described and tested for frailty measurement, but the ideal clinical tool has not been found yet. The evidence from cohort studies and meta-analyses shows associations between preoperative frailty and adverse perioperative outcomes after general surgery.

CONCLUSION

Frailty is an essential concept in general surgery. However, further studies have to identify the optimal way to preoperatively assess frailty and risk-stratify older patients.

Safety and quality of perioperative anesthesia care-Ensuring safe care for older people living with frailty

The clinical concept of frailty as a detectable and improvable clinical condition has emerged in the field of geriatric medicine over the past two decades. Albeit frailty can be described as the rapid deterioration of organ function during the physiological aging process, this syndrome is not exclusively limited to the elderly. Recently, this concept has been introduced in the field of anesthesia and critical care as a means to better appraise perioperative risks and offer patient-centered individual treatment pathways. Extensive efforts have been invested into the research on tools for the detection and quantification of frailty. However, while multiple tools have been validated for the detection of frailty in different populations, no universal score or test has been validated to be universally applicable. Furthermore, it is unclear whether interventions capable of improving the detected degree of frailty may result in better outcomes. Ongoing and future research is aimed at developing automated systems that help in harnessing standard medical records for reliable frailty screening without additional user input. Further efforts are pointed at understanding the potential reversibility of frailty through interventions such as exercise or nutritional supplements. While the role of frailty detection, quantification, and treatment in anesthesia and critical care is limited today, it is likely that it may become a key element of perioperative care of older patients in the near future.

Safety and outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the extremely elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Gallstones are a common cause of morbidity in the elderly. Operative treatment is often avoided due to concerns about poor outcomes but the evidence for this is unclear. We aim to consolidate available evidence assessing laparoscopic cholecystectomy outcomes in the extreme elderly (>80s) compared to younger patients. Methods: Studies comparing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in >80s with younger patients were considered. Total complications, mortality, conversion, bile duct injury, and length of stay were compared between the two groups. Results: Twelve studies including 366,522 patients were included. They were of moderate overall quality. The elderly group had more complicated gallbladder disease and also had more co-morbidities and a higher ASA grade. The risk of morbidity was lower in the younger group (RR 0.58 (95% CI 0.58-0.59)) with a slightly lower risk of conversion (RR 0.96 (0.94-0.98)) Length of stay was significantly longer for the elderly patients. Differences in mortality and bile duct injury were non-significant in all but one study. Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and effective in the extreme elderly. Higher complication rates are predominantly related to increased co-morbidities and more complex gallbladder disease. Patients should be carefully selected, and cholecystectomy performed at an earlier stage to minimize these problems.

Geriatric Physiology and the Frailty Syndrome

Understanding geriatric physiology is critical for successful perioperative management of older surgical patients. The frailty syndrome is evolving as an important, potentially modifiable process capturing a patient's biologic age and is more predictive of adverse perioperative outcomes than chronologic age. Use of frailty in risk stratification and perioperative decision-making allows providers to effectively diagnose, risk stratify, and treat patients in the perioperative setting. Further study is needed to develop a universal definition of frailty, to identify comprehensive yet feasible screening tools that allow for accurate detection of frailty in the perioperative setting, and to refine treatment programs for frail surgical patients.

A Comprehensive Review of the Diagnosis and Pharmacological Management of Crohn's Disease in the Elderly Population

Crohn's disease (CD) in the elderly is rising in prevalence, which is related to an increase in its incidence and improving life expectancies. There are differences in the presentation, natural history, and treatment of CD between adult-onset patients who progress to older age and patients who are initially diagnosed at an older age. Presentation at an older age may also delay or make diagnosis challenging due to accumulating co-morbidities that mimic inflammatory bowel disease. Differences exist between adult- and older-onset disease, yet many guidelines do not specifically distinguish the management of these two distinct populations. Identifying patients at high risk for progression or aggressive disease is particularly important as elderly patients may respond differently to medical and surgical treatment, and may be at higher risk for adverse effects. Despite newer agents being approved for CD, the data regarding efficacy and safety in the elderly are currently limited. Balancing symptom management with risks of medical and surgical therapy is an ongoing challenge and requires special consideration in these two distinct populations.

Frailty predicts mortality in all emergency surgical admissions regardless of age. An observational study

BACKGROUND

frail patients in any age group are more likely to die than those that are not frail. We aimed to evaluate the impact of frailty on clinical mortality, readmission rate and length of stay for emergency surgical patients of all ages.

METHODS

a multi-centre prospective cohort study was conducted on adult admissions to acute surgical units. Every patient presenting as a surgical emergency to secondary care, regardless of whether they ultimately underwent a surgical procedure was included. The study was carried out during 2015 and 2016.Frailty was defined using the 7-point Clinical Frailty Scale. The primary outcome was mortality at Day 90. Secondary outcomes included: mortality at Day 30, length of stay and readmission within a Day 30 period.

RESULTS

the cohort included 2,279 patients (median age 54 years [IQR 36-72]; 56% female). Frailty was documented in patients of all ages: 1% in the under 40's to 45% of those aged 80+. We found that each incremental step of worsening frailty was associated with an 80% increase in mortality at Day 90 (OR 1.80, 95% CI: 1.61-2.01) supporting a linear dose-response relationship. In addition, the most frail patients were increasingly likely to stay in hospital longer, be readmitted within 30 days, and die within 30 days.

CONCLUSIONS

worsening frailty at any age is associated with significantly poorer patient outcomes, including mortality in unselected acute surgical admissions. Assessment of frailty should be integrated into emergency surgical practice to allow prognostication and implementation of strategies to improve outcomes.

Frailty Assessment Predicts Acute Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Screening Colonoscopy

BACKGROUND

Colonoscopy is associated with multiple adverse outcomes. With an aging population undergoing colorectal cancer screening, few modalities exist to assess the patient risk prior to colonoscopy. Frailty, the age-related decline in reserve and function across multiple organ systems, predicts poor surgical outcomes, but its role in endoscopy is unclear.

AIMS

This prospective cohort study assesses the efficacy of frailty in predicting acute colonoscopy outcomes.

METHODS

Participants aged ≥ 50 years undergoing screening colonoscopy at a tertiary care center were recruited over 2 months ending in July 2017. Frailty was assessed using a validated 20-s upper-extremity frailty test, which measures the capacity of muscle performance. Demographic data, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were evaluated. Procedure-related adverse events and cardiopulmonary changes during and in the immediate post-procedure period were recorded. Adverse events were stratified into minor and major events. Chi-square and ANCOVA models were used in the analysis.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine adults (mean age 62.8 years) were enrolled, among which 49 were non-frail and 50 were pre-frail/frail; 50 were female. Overall, 55 participants experienced a total of 87 adverse events. Frailty and ASA status were significantly associated with colonoscopy adverse events (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Age and CCI did not predict colonoscopy outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to age and CCI, frailty status better predicts colonoscopy outcomes in older adults. Among adults undergoing colonoscopy, routine frailty screening should be considered for risk stratification. Additional prospective studies evaluating frailty measurements in endoscopy will further clarify its role in forecasting adverse events.

Anesthesia in the Elderly Patient Undergoing Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Geriatric patients undergoing surgery have a whole set of specific physiologic changes, perioperative needs, and postoperative complications. This review presents an overview of the basic concepts and the evolving challenges pertaining to the care of geriatric patients undergoing otolaryngologic procedures from the perspective of the anesthesiologist.

Identifying older adults at risk of harm following elective surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Elective surgeries can be associated with significant harm to older adults. The present study aimed to identify the prognostic factors associated with the development of postoperative complications among older adults undergoing elective surgery.

METHODS

Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and AgeLine were searched for articles published between inception and April 21, 2016. Prospective studies reporting prognostic factors associated with postoperative complications (composite outcome of medical and surgical complications), functional decline, mortality, post-hospitalization discharge destination, and prolonged hospitalization among older adults undergoing elective surgery were included. Study characteristics and prognostic factors associated with the outcomes of interest were extracted independently by two reviewers. Random effects meta-analysis models were used to derive pooled effect estimates for prognostic factors and incidences of adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 5692 titles and abstracts that were screened for inclusion, 44 studies (12,281 patients) reported on the following adverse postoperative outcomes: postoperative complications (n =28), postoperative mortality (n = 11), length of hospitalization (n = 21), functional decline (n = 6), and destination at discharge from hospital (n = 13). The pooled incidence of postoperative complications was 25.17% (95% confidence interval (CI) 18.03-33.98%, number needed to follow = 4). The geriatric syndromes of frailty (odds ratio (OR) 2.16, 95% CI 1.29-3.62) and cognitive impairment (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.44-2.81) were associated with developing postoperative complications; however, there was no association with traditionally assessed prognostic factors such as age (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.14) or American Society of Anesthesiologists status (OR 2.62, 95% CI 0.78-8.79). Besides frailty, other potentially modifiable prognostic factors, including depressive symptoms (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.22-2.56) and smoking (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.32-4.46), were also associated with developing postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Geriatric syndromes are important prognostic factors for postoperative complications. We identified potentially modifiable prognostic factors (e.g., frailty, depressive symptoms, and smoking) associated with developing postoperative complications that can be targeted preoperatively to optimize care.

Toward Using a Smartwatch to Monitor Frailty in a Hospital Setting: Using a Single Wrist-Wearable Sensor to Assess Frailty in Bedbound Inpatients

BACKGROUND

While various objective tools have been validated for assessing physical frailty in the geriatric population, these are often unsuitable for busy clinics and mobility-impaired patients. Recently, we have developed a frailty meter (FM) using two wearable sensors, which allows capturing key frailty phenotypes (weakness, slowness, and exhaustion), by testing 20-s rapid elbow flexion-extension test.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we proposed an enhanced automated algorithm to identify frailty using a single wrist-worn sensor.

METHODS

The data collected from 100 geriatric inpatients (age: 78.9 ± 9.1 years, 49% frail) were reanalyzed to validate the new algorithm. The frailty status of the participants was determined using a validated modified frailty index. Different FM phenotypes (31 features) including velocity of elbow rotation, decline in velocity of elbow rotation over 20 s, range of motion, etc. were extracted. A regression model, bootstrap with 2,000 iterations, and recursive feature elimination technique were used for optimizing the FM parameters and identifying frailty using a single wrist-worn sensor.

RESULTS

A strong agreement was observed between two-sensor and wrist-worn sensor configuration (r = 0.87, p < 0.001). Results suggest that the wrist-worn FM with no demographic information still yields a high accuracy of 80.0% (95% CI: 79.7-80.3%) and an area under the curve of 87.7% (95% CI: 87.4-87.9%) to identify frailty status. Results are comparable with two-sensor configuration, where the observed accuracy and area under the curve were 80.6% (95% CI: 80.4-80.9%) and 87.4% (95% CI: 87.1-87.6%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The simplicity of FM may open new avenues to integrate wearable technology and mobile health to capture frailty status in a busy hospital setting. Furthermore, the reduction of needed sensors to a single wrist-worn sensor allows deployment of the proposed algorithm in the form of a smartwatch application. From the application standpoint, the proposed FM is superior to traditional physical frailty-screening tools in which the walking test is a key frailty phenotype, and thus they cannot be used for bedbound patients or in busy clinics where administration of gait test as a part of routine assessment is impractical.

Laparoscopy Can Safely be Performed in Frail Patients Undergoing Colon Resection for Cancer

The present study aims to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in frail patients undergoing colorectal surgery for colorectal cancer. A review of the 2011 to 2014 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was performed to identify frail patients (using a frailty index), who underwent resection for colorectal cancer. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate 30-day mortality and Clavien–Dindo grade IV (CD-IV) complications. A total of 52,087 patients with colorectal cancer were identified, of which frailty accounted for 2.63 per cent (index score ≥5). Patients above the age 85 were considered frail 6.8 per cent of the time and accounted for 24.5 per cent of patients with frailty. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 32.9 and 53.1 per cent of patients with and without frailty (P < 0.001). Patients with frailty were less likely to die within 30 days of surgery if younger (P = 0.004), performed electively (P < 0.001), or laparoscopically (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, laparoscopy and elective surgery were associated with better perioperative survival; whereas, older age, male sex, and tobacco use were associated with 30-day mortality. Laparoscopy and lower body mass index were associated with fewer Clavien–Dindo grade IV complications. Although laparoscopy is performed less commonly in the frail, this study indicated better perioperative outcomes for patients undergoing elective surgery who were <85 years old.

Age-related differences pre-, intra-, and postcholecystectomy: A retrospective cohort study of 6,868 patients

BACKGROUND

Cholecystectomy (CCY) is increasingly performed in older individuals. We sought to examine age-related differences in pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors at a community hospital, using a very large, single-institution cholecystectomy database.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of 6868 patients who underwent CCY from 2001 to 2013 was performed. ROC analysis identified the optimal age cutoff when complications reached a significant inflection point (<55 and ≥55 years). Multiple clinical features and outcomes were measured and compared by age. Logistic regression was used to examine how well a set of covariates predicted postoperative complications.

RESULTS

Older patients had significantly higher rates of comorbidities and underwent more extensive preoperative imaging. Intraoperatively, older patients had more blood loss, longer operative times, and more open operations. Postoperatively, older patients experienced more complications and had significantly different pathological findings. While holding age and gender constant, regression analyses showed that preoperative creatinine level, blood loss and history of previous operation were the strongest predictors of complications. The risk for developing complications increased by 2% per year of life.

CONCLUSION

Older patients have distinct pre-, intra-, and postoperative characteristics. Their care is more imaging- and cost-intensive. CCY in this population is associated with higher risks, likely due to a combination of comorbidities and age-related worsened physiological status. Pathologic findings are significantly different relative to younger patients. While removing the effect of age, preoperative creatinine levels, blood loss, and history of previous operation predict postoperative complications. Quantifying these differences may help to inform management decisions for older patients.

Impact of frailty on approach to colonic resection: Laparoscopy vs open surgery

AIM

To understand the influence of frailty on postoperative outcomes for laparoscopic and open colectomy.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2005-2012) for patients undergoing colon resection [open colectomy (OC) and laparoscopic colectomy (LC)]. Patients were classified as non-frail (0 points), low frailty (1 point), moderate frailty (2 points), and severe frailty (≥ 3) using the Modified Frailty Index. 30-d mortality and complications were used as the primary end point and analyzed for the overall population. Complications were grouped into major and minor. Subset analysis was performed for patients undergoing colectomy (total colectomy, partial colectomy and sigmoid colectomy) and separately for patients undergoing rectal surgery (abdominoperineal resection, low anterior resection, and proctocolectomy). We analyzed the data using SAS Platform JMP Pro version 10.0.0 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, United States).

RESULTS

A total of 94811 patients were identified; the majority underwent OC (58.7%), were white (76.9%), and non-frail (44.8%). The median age was 61.3 years. Prolonged length of stay (LOS) occurred in 4.7%, and 30-d mortality was 2.28%. Patients undergoing OC were older (61.89 ± 15.31 vs 60.55 ± 14.93) and had a higher ASA score (48.3% ASA3 vs 57.7% ASA2 in the LC group) (P < 0.0001). Most patients were non-frail (42.5% OC vs 48% LC, P < 0.0001). Complications, prolonged LOS, and mortality were significantly more common in patients undergoing OC (P < 0.0001). OC had a higher risk of death and complications compared to LC for all frailty scores (non-frail: OR = 4.7, and OR = 4.67; mildly frail: OR = 2.51, and OR = 2.47; moderately frail: OR = 2.94, and OR = 2.02, severely frail: OR = 2.37, and OR = 2.34, P < 0.05) and an increase in absolute mortality with increasing frailty (non-frail 0.68% OC, mildly frail 1.39%, moderately frail 3.44%, and severely frail 5.83%, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

LC is associated with improved outcomes. Although the odds of mortality are higher in non-frail, there is a progressive increase in mortality with increasing frailty.

Frailty in trauma: A systematic review of the surgical literature for clinical assessment tools

BACKGROUND

Elderly trauma patients have outcomes worse than those of similarly injured younger patients. Although patient age and comorbidities explain some of the difference, the contribution of frailty to outcomes is largely unknown because of the lack of assessment tools developed specifically to assess frailty in the trauma population. This systematic review of the surgical literature identifies currently available frailty clinical assessment tools and evaluates the potential of each instrument to assess frailty in elderly patients with trauma.

METHODS

This review was registered with PROSPERO (the international prospective register of systematic reviews, registration number CRD42014015350). Publications in English from January 1995 to October 2014 were identified by a comprehensive search strategy in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL, supplemented by manual screening of article bibliographies and subjected to three tiers of review. Forty-two studies reporting on frailty assessment tools were selected for analysis. Criteria for objectivity, feasibility in the trauma setting, and utility to predict trauma outcomes were formulated and used to evaluate the tools, including their subscales and individual items.

RESULTS

Thirty-two unique frailty assessment tools were identified. Of those, 4 tools as a whole, 2 subscales, and 29 individual items qualified as objective, feasible, and useful in the clinical assessment of trauma patients. The single existing tool developed specifically to assess frailty in trauma did not meet evaluation criteria.

CONCLUSION

Few frailty assessment tools in the surgical literature qualify as objective, feasible, and useful measures of frailty in the trauma population. However, a number of individual tool items and subscales could be combined to assess frailty in the trauma setting. Research to determine the accuracy of these measures and the magnitude of the contribution of frailty to trauma outcomes is needed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Systematic review, level III.

Geriatric Assessment as a qualification element for elective and emergency cholecystectomy in older patients

BACKGROUND

Older patients experience a higher incidence of postoperative complications after cholecystectomy compared with younger patients. However, most studies have not considered patient frailty, particularly regarding emergency cholecystectomy. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate outcomes in frail older patients eligible for elective and emergency cholecystectomy.

METHODS

Preoperative Geriatric Assessment (GA) was performed in consecutive patients aged 65+ years, operated for biliary disease. The GA evaluated the functional, cognitive, comorbidity, depressive, nutritional, and polypharmacy status and patients with two or more abnormal domains were considered frail. Outcomes of interest were 30-day postoperative mortality, morbidity, and length of hospital stay (LOS).

RESULTS

A total of 126 patients (median age 74; range 65-93 years) were included. There was no difference between elective frail and non-frail patients regarding postoperative mortality (0 %) and morbidity (6 % vs. 5 %; p = 0.76). LOS was not significantly longer in the frail group (5.6 vs. 4 days; p = 0.22). In the emergency-admitted patients, almost all complications occurred in the frail population (mortality 5 % vs. 0 %; morbidity 36.7 % vs. 3.3 %, compared with non-frail patients, respectively; p < 0.01) and LOS was significantly longer (10.3 (frail) vs. 6 days (non-frail);p = 0.03). Frail status was a significant independent predictive factor for postoperative complications in the emergency population, only (odds ratio: 3.4 (1.2-9.7); p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and effective surgical technique also for older frail patients. In emergency settings, frail patients have significantly more complications and a longer LOS. However, the role of severity of frailty and the most reliable GA tools require further study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN14976998 (retrospectively registered).

The impact of frailty syndrome and risk scores on emergency cholecystectomy patients

PURPOSE

Cholecystectomy, which is one of the most common surgical procedures, is also performed in the emergency setting. A number of risk scores have been introduced in recent studies; moreover, over the last few years literature has focused on surgical patients with frailty syndrome. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether frailty syndrome and the risk scores are correlated with morbidity, post-operative hospital stay and the ICU admission rate following emergency cholecystectomy.

METHODS

Eighty-five consecutive patients of >65 years of age who underwent cholecystectomy were selected from 2306 emergency procedures for inclusion in the present study. The patients were assessed for frailty syndrome and their scores were calculated on the basis of chart review. Univariate analyses were performed to compare severe frailty patients to intermediate frailty and robust patients. ROC and logistic regression analyses were performed with the end-points of morbidity, hospital stay and ICU admission.

RESULTS

In addition to having worse ASA, inflammatory and risk values than robust patients, frailty syndrome patients also had higher rates of morbidity and ICU admission and longer hospitalization periods. A logistic regression analysis showed that the P-Possum was independently correlated with morbidity. Frailty and open surgery were independently correlated with longer hospitalization, whereas ICU admission was correlated with worse ASA and P-Possum values.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty syndrome significantly impacts the length of hospitalization in patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy. Although the ORs were limited, the P-Possum value was independently associated with the outcome.

The outcomes of the elderly in acute care general surgery

INTRODUCTION

Elderly patients form a growing subset of the acute care surgery (ACS) population. Older age may be associated with poorer outcomes for some elective procedures, but there are few studies focusing on outcomes for the elderly ACS population. Our objective is to characterize differences in mortality and morbidity for acute care surgery patients >80 years old.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all ACS admissions at a large teaching hospital over 1 year was conducted. Patients were classified into non-elderly (<80 years old) and elderly (≥80 years old). In addition to demographic differences, outcomes including care efficiency, mortality, postoperative complications, and length of stay were studied. Data analysis was completed with the Student's t test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables using STATA 12 (College Station, TX, USA).

RESULTS

We identified 467 non-elderly and 60 elderly patients with a mean age-adjusted Charlson score of 3.2 and 7.2, respectively (p < 0.001) and a mortality risk of 1.9 and 11.7 %, respectively (p < 0.001). The elderly were at risk of longer duration (>4 days) hospital stay (p = 0.05), increased postoperative complications (p = 0.002), admission to the ICU (p = 0.002), and were more likely to receive a non-operative procedure (p = 0.003). No difference was found (p = NS) for patient flow factors such as time to consult general surgery, time to see consult by general surgery, and time to operative management and disposition.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to younger patients admitted to an acute care surgery service, patients over 80 years old have a higher risk of complications, are more likely to require ICU admission, and stay longer in the hospital.

The implication of frailty on preoperative risk assessment

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Frailty, a state of decreased homeostatic reserve, is characterized by dysregulation across multiple physiologic and molecular pathways. It is particularly relevant to the perioperative period, during which patients are subject to high levels of stress and inflammation. This review aims to familiarize the anesthesiologist with the most current concepts regarding frailty and its emerging role in preoperative assessment and risk stratification.

RECENT FINDINGS

Current literature has established frailty as a significant predictor of operative complications, institutionalization, and death among elderly surgical patients. A variety of scoring systems have been proposed to preoperatively identify and assess frail patients, though they differ in their clinical utility and prognostic ability. Additionally, evidence suggests an evolving potential for preoperative intervention and modification of the frailty syndrome.

SUMMARY

The elderly are medically complex and heterogeneous with respect to operative risk. Recent advances in the concept of frailty provide an evidence-based framework to guide the anesthesiologist in the perioperative management, evaluation, and risk stratification of older surgical patients.

[Requirements for perioperative intensive care of geriatric patients]

BACKGROUND

Demographic change has also caused changes in perioperative intensive care because the proportion of geriatric patients who must undergo surgical procedures is increasing. With the current preoperative assessment instruments, it is still not possible to identify high-risk patients of this collective or to make a reliable prognosis concerning postoperative course.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In addition to pain control, important aspects to minimize complications in postoperative intensive care include adequate oxygenation, adequate fluid management, an adequate supply of energy and nutrients, good control of blood sugar levels, and early mobilization of patients.

RESULTS

The perioperative intensive care treatment of geriatric patients requires the readiness to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration because only with this close dialog can the treatment results be sustained.

Frailty and perioperative outcomes: a narrative review

BACKGROUND

Frailty has no single universally accepted definition or method for assessment. It is commonly defined from a physiological perspective as a disruption of homeostatic mechanisms ultimately leading to a vulnerable state. Numerous scoring indices and assessments exist to assist clinicians in determining the frailty status of a patient. The purpose of this review is to discuss the relationship between frailty and perioperative outcomes in surgical patients.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We performed a review to determine the association of frailty with perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing a wide variety of surgical procedures. A scoping literature search was performed to capture studies from MEDLINE(®), EMBASE™, and CENTRAL (Cochrane), which resulted in locating 175 studies across the three electronic databases. After an article screening process, 19 studies were found that examined frailty and perioperative outcomes. The studies used a range of assessments to determine frailty status and included patients in a variety of surgical fields. Regardless of surgical population and method of frailty assessment, a relationship existed between adverse perioperative outcomes and frailty status. Frail patients undergoing surgical procedures had a higher likelihood than non-frail patients of experiencing mortality, morbidity, complications, increased hospital length of stay, and discharge to an institution.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing surgery who are deemed frail, regardless of the scoring assessment used, have a higher likelihood of experiencing adverse perioperative outcomes. With the lack of a unified definition for frailty, further research is needed to address which assessment method is most predictive of adverse postoperative outcomes.