The modified frailty index to predict morbidity and mortality for retroperitoneal sarcoma resections

Sarcopenia and frailty as predictors of surgical morbidity and oncologic outcomes in retroperitoneal sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) are rare tumors for which surgical resection is the principal treatment. There is no established model to predict perioperative risks for RPS. We evaluated the association between preoperative sarcopenia, frailty, and hypoalbuminemia with surgical and oncological outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a prospective cohort analysis of 65 RPS patients who underwent surgical resection. Sarcopenia was defined as Total Psoas Area Index ≤ 1st quintile by sex. Frailty was estimated using the modified frailty index (mFI). Logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of 30-day postoperative morbidity. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was utilized to assess factors associated with overall (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULT

Sarcopenia was associated with worse OS with a median of 54 compared with 158 months (p = 0.04), but no differences in RFS (p > 0.05). Hypoalbuminemia was associated with worse OS with a median of 72 compared with 158 months (p < 0.01). MFI scores were not associated with OS or RFS (p > 0.05). Sarcopenia, mFI, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with postoperative morbidity (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that sarcopenia may be utilized as a measure of overall fitness, rather than a cancer-specific risk, and the mFI is a poor predictive measure of outcomes in RPS.

Validating biologic age in selecting elderly patients with pancreatic cancer for surgical resection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Selecting frail elderly patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) for pancreas resection using biologic age has not been elucidated. This study determined the feasibility of the deficit accumulation frailty index (DAFI) in identifying such patients and its association with surgical outcomes.

METHODS

The DAFI, which assesses frailty based on biologic age, was used to identify frail patients using clinical and health-related quality-of-life data. The characteristics of frail and nonfrail patients were compared.

RESULTS

Of 242 patients (median age, 75.5 years), 61.2% were frail and 32.6% had undergone pancreas resection (surgery group). Median overall survival (mOS) decreased in frail patients (7.13 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.65-10.1) compared with nonfrail patients (16.1 months, 95% CI: 11.47-34.40, p = 0.001). In the surgery group, mOS improved in the nonfrail patients (49.4%; 49.2 months, 95% CI: 29.3-79.9) compared with frail patients (50.6%, 22.1 months, 95% CI: 18.3-52.4, p = 0.10). In the no-surgery group, mOS was better in nonfrail patients (54%; 10.81 months, CI 7.85-16.03) compared with frail patients (66%; 5.45 months, 95% CI: 4.34-7.03, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The DAFI identified elderly patients with PC at risk of poor outcomes and can identify patients who can tolerate more aggressive treatments.

Do frailty scores predict outcome after proximal femoral replacement for musculoskeletal tumours: a case series?

PURPOSE

Frailty has a negative independent relationship with morbidity and mortality. A frail individual has low resilience and adaptive capacity to stressors with unfavourable consequences. The relationship between musculoskeletal tumour patients undergoing surgery and frailty is underrepresented in literature. This study's questions are; what is the prevalence of frailty in patients undergoing surgery for musculoskeletal tumours; what is the correlation between frailty and survival plus secondary outcome measures including length of hospital stay (LOS); can clinicians use frailty scoring to support preoperative decision-making?

METHODS

Patients over 60 years of age undergoing proximal femoral replacement for musculoskeletal tumours were included and classified as fit, vulnerable or frail using the modified frailty index (mFI), Rockwood and American Society of Anaesthesiologist's physical status classification (ASA) grading systems. Correlation with outcomes including survival and (LOS) was determined.

RESULTS

85 patients were identified of mean age 72.6 years. Median follow-up was 18.9 months. The prevalence of frailty ranged between 55 to 76% and the overall median survival in frail groups were 19.8 months with all scoring systems used. Frail patients classified by the Rockwood score had a greater LOS and a trend to reduced survival.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high prevalence of frailty in this cohort and frailty scores should be considered when planning surgery as part of holistic care. Moreover, a median survival greater than 18 months in frail patients supports the decision to offer surgery which may positively impact quality of life. Further research to identify the relationship between frailty and outcomes in musculoskeletal tumour patients is needed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV, Retrospective Case Series.

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.

A systematic review of population-based studies examining outcomes in primary retroperitoneal sarcoma surgery

Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) are rare mesenchymal tumours. Their rarity challenges our ability to understand expected outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to examine 30-day morbidity and mortality, overall survival rates and prognostic predictors from population-based studies for patients undergoing curative resection for primary RPS. A systematic literature review of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED and the Cochrane library was performed using PRISMA for population-based studies reporting from nationally registered databases on primary RPS surgical resections in adults. The main outcomes evaluated were 30-day morbidity and mortality and overall survival rates. The use of additional treatment modalities and predictors of overall survival were also examined. Fourteen studies (n = 12 834 patients) reporting from 3 national databases, (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER), the United States National Cancer Database (US NCDB) and the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP)) were analysed. The reported overall 30-day morbidity and mortality were 23% (n = 191/846) and 3% (n = 278/10 181) respectively. Reported use of perioperative radiotherapy was 28%. No study reported loco-regional recurrence rates. Overall reported 5-year survival ranged from 52% to 62%. Independent predictors of overall survival were age of the patient, resection margin, tumour grade and size, histological subtype and receipt of radiotherapy. This review of population-based data demonstrated relatively low 30-day morbidity rates in patients undergoing curative surgical resections for primary RPS. Thirty-day mortality rates were similar to other abdominal tumour groups. There remains a paucity of data reporting recurrence rates, however 5-year survival rates ranged from 52 to 62%.

Impact of frailty on outcomes in surgical patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Age has historically been used to predict negative post-surgical outcomes. The concept of frailty was introduced to explain the discrepancies that exist between patients' chronological and physiological age. The efficacy of the modified frailty index (mFI) to predict surgical risk is not clear.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to synthesize the current literature to quantify the impact of frailty as a prognostic indicator across all surgical specialties.

DATA SOURCES

Pubmed and Cochrane databases were screened from inception to 1 January 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies utilizing the modified Frailty Index (mFI) as a post-operative indicator of any type of surgery. The mFI was selected based on a preliminary search showing it to be the most commonly applied index in surgical cohorts.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Articles were selected via a two-stage process undertaken by two reviewers (AP and DS). Statistical analysis was performed in Revman (Review manager V5.3). The random-effects model was used to calculate the Risk Ratios (RR).

MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S)

The primary outcomes: post-operative complications, re-admission, re-operation, discharge to a skilled care facility, and mortality.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis of 16 studies randomizes 683,487 patients, 444,885 frail, from gastrointestinal, vascular, orthopedic, urogenital, head and neck, emergency, neurological, oncological, cardiothoracic, as well as general surgery cohorts. Frail patients were more likely to experience complications (RR 1.48, 95%CI 1.35-1.61; p < 0.001), major complications (RR 2.03, 95%CI 1.26-3.29; p = 0.004), and wound complications (RR 1.52, 95%CI 1.47-1.57; p < 0.001). Furthermore, frail patients had higher risk of readmission (RR 1.61, 95%CI 1.44-1.80; p < 0.001) and discharge to skilled care (RR 2.15, 95%CI 1.92-2.40; p < 0.001). Notably, the risk of mortality was 4.19 times more likely in frail patients (95% CI 2.96-5.92; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

and Relevance: This study is the first to synthesize the evidence across multiple surgical specialties and demonstrates that the mFI is an underappreciated prognostic indicator that strongly correlates with the risk of post-surgical morbidity and mortality. This supports that formal incorporation of pre-operative frailty assessment improves surgical decision-making.

FRAIL scale as a predictor of complications and mortality in older patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for non-melanoma skin cancer

The aim of the present study was to determine the association between preoperative frailty and the onset of surgical complications in patients diagnosed with massive non-melanoma skin cancer subjected to plastic and reconstructive surgery. A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 587 patients with non-melanoma skin cancer, selected on the basis of specific inclusion criteria, who were subjected to plastic and reconstructive surgery between 2005 and 2014. Frailty was scored using the FRAIL index, whereas postoperative complications were classified according to Clavien-Dindo criteria. By binary logistic regression, the odds and probabilities of complications were calculated as a function of increasing values of the FRAIL index. Two different logistic models were created, comparing absent/mild (Clavien grades 1st and 2nd) vs. moderate/severe complications or mortality (Clavien grades 3rd-5th; model A), or absent/mild/moderate complications (Clavien grades 1st-3rd) vs. severe complications or mortality (Clavien grades 4th and 5th; model B). The FRAIL index was an accurate predictor of surgical complications or mortality, with significant odds ratios and goodness of fit. In model A, FRAIL scores 4 and 5 were the most critical predictors of moderate/severe complications or mortality (37 and 94% probability, 0.6 and 17.3 odds, respectively), compared to score 3 (2% probability, 0.02 odds) or lower. In model B, FRAIL score 5 was the most critical predictor of severe complications or mortality, as it was associated with a 74.6% probability and 2.93 odds for these events. In conclusion, increasing FRAIL scores were associated with worsening surgical outcomes for patients with non-melanoma skin cancer undergoing plastic/reconstructive surgery. A low rate of surgical complications was observed in pre-frail and frail patients up to FRAIL score 3.

Surgical morbidity in retroperitoneal sarcoma resection

Resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) typically involves multivisceral resection. The morbidity of RPS resection has decreased over time despite widespread adoption of radical resection. Certain patterns of resection are associated with higher complication rates and elderly patients are at increased risk of morbidity. Administration of preoperative radiotherapy does not increase morbidity, but intraoperative and brachytherapy techniques are associated with heightened toxicities. Long-term functional outcomes and quality of life scores after RPS resection are acceptable.