The association of peri-operative scores, including frailty, with outcomes after unscheduled surgery

The Clinical Frailty Scale is a Strong Predictor of 1-Year Mortality in Surgically Managed Hip Periprosthetic Fracture: An Analysis From a High-Volume Institution

BACKGROUND

Hip periprosthetic fractures (PPFs) after primary total hip arthroplasty are increasing with the number of primary implants and aging population. Mortality has been reported up to 34% at 1-year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and 1-year mortality, complication rate, and length of stay (LOS) in surgically managed hip PPFs.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from January 2008 to January 2021. A total of 282 surgically managed hip PPFs were identified. Mean age was 79 years (range, 42 to 106). Preoperative scores were analyzed through linear regression to identify significant association with mortality, complication and LOS. Receiver operating characteristic curve and Area Under the Curve (AUC) were generated to evaluate the quality of the models and the discriminatory ability of each clinical score. Significance was considered at P values < .05.

RESULTS

Mortality was 7.8% at 3-months and 15.7% at 1-year. Complication rate requiring surgery was 19.5% and mean LOS was 8.9 ± 7 days. The CFS was significantly associated with 3-month (odds ratio 2.23, P < .001) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio 2.01, P < .001). The receiver operating characteristic curve test for 1-year mortality showed a greater AUC for the CFS when compared with American Society for Anesthesiologists score and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (AUC 0.80 versus 0.68 versus 0.72, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is a syndrome with increased risk of mortality after surgically managed PPF. The CFS can be easily assessed at the time of admission and could be considered as a strong and reliable predictor of 1-year mortality with a greater AUC than the conventionally used American Society for Anesthesiologists score.

Clinical Frailty Score is a good predictor of postoperative mortality in patients undergoing open abdomen surgery: a multicenter retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Open Abdomen (OA) is gaining popularity in damage control surgery (DCS) but there is not an absolute prognostic score to identify patients that may benefit from it. Our study investigates the correlation between the clinical frailty scale score (CFSS) and postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing OA.

METHODS

Patients ≥65 yo undergoing OA in two referral centres between 2015 and 2020 were included and stratified according to CFSS in non-frail (NF), frail (F) and highly-frail (HF). The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints were postoperative morbidity and 1- year survival.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-six patients were included: 35 NF (25.7%), 56 F (41.2%), 45 HF (33.1%). Average age 76.8. The 73.5% of cases were non-traumatic diseases with no difference in preoperative characteristics. 95 (71.4%) had one complication, 26 NF (74.3%), 34 F (63.2%), 35 HF (77.8%) (P=0.301) and 59.4% had a complication with a CD≥3, 57.1% NF, 56.6% F and 64.4 HF. The 30-day mortality was 32.4%, higher in HF (46.7%) and F (30.4%) compared to NF (17.1%, P=0.018). The Overall 1-year survival was 41% (SE ±4) with statistically significant difference between HF vs. NF and HF vs. F (P=0.009 and P=0.029, respectively). In the univariate analysis, the only significant prognostic factor impacting mortality was CFSS, with HF having an HR of 1.948 (95% CI 1.097-3.460, P=0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

When OA is a surgical option, frail patients should not be precluded, while HF should be carefully evaluated. The CFSS might be a good prognostic score for patients that may safely benefit from OA.

Preoperative Frailty Assessment Predicts Postoperative Mortality, Delirium and Pneumonia in Elderly Lung Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive value of the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) for postoperative mortality, delirium and pneumonia in patients over 65 years of age undergoing elective lung cancer surgery.

METHODS

Data were collected from a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted in a general tertiary hospital from January 2017 to August 2019. In total, the study included 1372 elderly patients aged over 65 who underwent elective lung cancer surgery. They were divided into frail group (mFI-5, 2-5), prefrail group (mFI-5, 1) and robust group (mFI-5, 0) on the basis of mFI-5 classification. The primary outcome was postoperative 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative pneumonia and postoperative delirium.

RESULTS

Frailty group had the highest incidence of postoperative delirium (frailty 31.2% versus prefrailty 1.6% versus robust 1.5%, p < 0.001), postoperative pneumonia (frailty 23.5% versus prefrailty 7.2% versus robust 7.7%, p < 0.001), and postoperative 1-year mortality (frailty 7.0% versus prefrailty 2.2% versus robust 1.9%. p < 0.001). Frail patients have significantly longer length of hospitalization than those in the robust group and prefrail patients (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed a clear link between frailty and increased risk of postoperative delirium (aOR 2.775, 95% CI 1.776-5.417, p < 0.001), postoperative pneumonia (aOR 3.291, 95% CI 2.169-4.993, p < 0.001) and postoperative 1-year mortality (aOR 3.364, 95% CI, 1.516-7.464, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

mFI-5 has potential clinical utility in predicting postoperative death, delirium and pneumonia incidence in elderly patients undergoing radical lung cancer surgery. Frailty screening of patients (mFI-5) may provide benefits in risk stratification, targeted intervention efforts, and assist physicians in clinical decision-making.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus undergoing ventriculoperitoneal shunting procedures

OBJECTIVE

Patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) who undergo ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement often belong to an older demographic, putting them at increased risk of postoperative delirium and related complications. Recent literature documenting the use of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in various disciplines of surgery has shown improved clinical outcomes, faster discharge, and lower readmission rates. Early return to a familiar environment (i.e., discharged home) is a well-known predictor of reduced postoperative delirium. However, ERAS protocols are uncommon in neurosurgery, especially intracranial procedures. We developed a novel ERAS protocol for patients with iNPH undergoing VPS placement to gain further insight regarding postoperative complications, specifically delirium.

METHODS

We studied 40 patients with iNPH with indications for VPS. Seventeen patients were selected at random to undergo the ERAS protocol, and twenty-three patients underwent the standard VPS protocol. The ERAS protocol consisted of measures to reduce infection, manage pain, minimize invasiveness, confirm procedural success with imaging, and shorten the length of stay. Pre-operative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade was collected for each patient to indicate baseline risk. Rates of readmission and postoperative complications, including delirium and infection, were collected at 48 h, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks postoperatively.

RESULTS

There were no perioperative complications among the 40 patients. There was no postoperative delirium in any of the ERAS patients. Postoperative delirium was observed in 10 of 23 non-ERAS patients. There was no statistically significant difference between the ASA grade between the ERAS and non-ERAS groups.

CONCLUSIONS

We described a novel ERAS protocol for patients with iNPH receiving VPS focusing on an early discharge. Our data suggest that ERAS protocols in VPS patients might reduce the incidence of delirium without increasing the risk of infection or other postoperative complications.

Delirium in hip fracture patients admitted from home during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with higher mortality, longer total length of stay, need for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation, and readmission to acute services

Aims

Delirium is associated with adverse outcomes following hip fracture, but the prevalence and significance of delirium for the prognosis and ongoing rehabilitation needs of patients admitted from home is less well studied. Here, we analyzed relationships between delirium in patients admitted from home with 1) mortality; 2) total length of hospital stay; 3) need for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation; and 4) hospital readmission within 180 days.

Methods

This observational study used routine clinical data in a consecutive sample of hip fracture patients aged ≥ 50 years admitted to a single large trauma centre during the COVID-19 pandemic between 1 March 2020 and 30 November 2021. Delirium was prospectively assessed as part of routine care by the 4 A's Test (4AT), with most assessments performed in the emergency department. Associations were determined using logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile, COVID-19 infection within 30 days, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade.

Results

A total of 1,821 patients were admitted, with 1,383 (mean age 79.5 years; 72.1% female) directly from home. Overall, 87 patients (4.8%) were excluded due to missing 4AT scores. Delirium prevalence in the whole cohort was 26.5% (460/1,734): 14.1% (189/1,340) in the subgroup of patients admitted from home, and 68.8% (271/394) in the remaining patients (comprising care home residents and inpatients when fracture occurred). In patients admitted from home, delirium was associated with a 20-day longer total length of stay (p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, delirium was associated with higher mortality at 180 days (odds ratio (OR) 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13 to 2.54); p = 0.013), requirement for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation (OR 2.80 (95% CI 1.97 to 3.96); p < 0.001), and readmission to hospital within 180 days (OR 1.79 (95% CI 1.02 to 3.15); p = 0.041).

Conclusion

Delirium affects one in seven patients with a hip fracture admitted directly from home, and is associated with adverse outcomes in these patients. Delirium assessment and effective management should be a mandatory part of standard hip fracture care.

Frailty assessment has come to stay: Retrospective analysis pilot study of two frailty scales in oncological older patients undergoing colorectal surgery

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal cancer is a disease of the elderly and its main treatment is surgery. Frailty, a clinical syndrome of decreased reserve, increases with age and has been recognized as a predictive factor for postoperative mortality. Our primary objective was to assess the association between two frailty scores and mortality within the first year after surgery, by retrospectively linking frailty scores to mortality data and comparing the strength of their association with mortality to that of the ASA Classification. The frailty scales used were: the Modified Frailty Index (MFI) and, the Risk Analysis Index-A (RAI-A) and the G8 screening test (G8). As secondary objectives, we assessed the relationship of the frailty scales with morbidity and compared all the scales with the ASA.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively studied 172 patients aged 65 years and older who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery for cancer between January 2017 and June 2018, following them up for 1year after surgery.

RESULTS

Both morbidity and mortality were significantly associated with all frailty scale scores (p<.001). The more frailty, the greater probability of prolonged hospital stay, complications, readmissions and emergency department visits. Using each scale, patients were categorized into two groups (frail and non-frail patients). The C-indexes for 1-year mortality with the RAI-A and, MFI and G8 were 0.89 and, 0.86 and 0.86 respectively. On the other hand, ASA status is not strongly associated with mortality, with a C-index of .63.

DISCUSSION

Frailty scores should begin to influence medical and surgical strategies and further research is needed to develop guidelines for interventions in geriatric patients.

Frailty is Associated With Poor Outcomes Following Emergency Laparotomy: What’s Next?

Background and objective

The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a rapid assessment tool to identify vulnerable and frail patients. We sought to evaluate the association between preoperative CFS scores and outcomes following emergency laparotomy in a dense, rural, and healthcare-deprived region of the UK inhabited by a multi-comorbid population.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed regional National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) data across United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS trust to identify all patients aged 65 years and above who underwent emergency laparotomy between December 2018 and March 2021. We also conducted a comprehensive multi-database literature search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane to synthesise contemporaneous topical evidence.

Results

A total of 191 patients were assessed using the CFS before they underwent emergency laparotomy. Among 90 (47.1%) individuals categorised as vulnerable or frail (CFS score ≥4), there was no significant difference in age, gender, or length of stay related to the procedure compared with fit patients. However, vulnerable and frail patients were significantly more likely to die (84.8% vs. 39.2%, p<0.0001). Regression analysis identified a vulnerable or frail score to be a significant predictor of 30-day all-cause mortality (OR: 9.327; 95% CI: 3.101-28.054; p<0.0001). A total of six relevant papers were identified in the literature, all indicating a significant association between mortality as well as prolonged length and stay with clinical vulnerability and frailty.

Conclusions

The CFS is a practical and effective tool for assessing preoperative vulnerability and frailty among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy and can be used to predict mortality and morbidity after surgery.

The prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty among geriatric hospital inpatients and its association with economic prosperity and healthcare expenditure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 467,779 geriatric hospital inpatients

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a common and clinically significant condition among geriatric populations. Although well-evidenced pooled estimates of the prevalence of frailty exist within various settings and populations, presently there are none assessing the overall prevalence of frailty among geriatric hospital inpatients. The purpose of this review was to systematically search and analyse the prevalence of frailty among geriatric hospital inpatients within the literature and examine its associations with national economic indicators.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted on Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL Plus, and the Cochrane Library, encompassing all literature published prior to 22 November 2018, supplemented with manual reference searches. Included studies utilised a validated operational definition of frailty, reported the prevalence of frailty, had a minimum age ≥ 65 years, attempted to assess the whole ward/clinical population, and occurred among hospital inpatients. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality.

RESULTS

Ninety-six studies with a pooled sample of 467,779 geriatric hospital inpatients were included. The median critical appraisal score was 8/9 (range 7-9). The pooled prevalence of frailty, and pre-frailty, among geriatric hospital inpatients was 47.4% (95% CI 43.7-51.1%), and 25.8% (95% CI 22.0-29.6%), respectively. Significant differences were observed in the prevalence of frailty stratified by age, prevalent morbidity, ward type, clinical population, and operational definition. No significant differences were observed in stratified analyses by sex or continent, or significant associations between the prevalence of frailty and economic indicators.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is highly prevalent among geriatric hospital inpatients. High heterogeneity exists within this setting based on various clinical and demographic characteristics. Pooled estimates reported in this review place the prevalence of frailty among geriatric hospital inpatients between that reported for community-dwelling older adults and older adults in nursing homes, outlining an increase in the relative prevalence of frailty with progression through the healthcare system.

Perioperative Risk Stratification: A Need for an Improved Assessment in Surgery and Anesthesia-A Pilot Study

Background and Objectives: Numerous scoring systems have been introduced into modern medicine. None of the scoring systems assessed both anesthetic and surgical risk of the patient, predict the morbidity, mortality, or the need for postoperative intensive care unit admission. The aim of this study was to compare the anesthetic and surgical scores currently used, for a better evaluation of perioperative risks, morbidity, and mortality. Material and Methods: This is a pilot, prospective, observational study. We enrolled 50 patients scheduled for elective surgery. Anesthetic and surgery risk was assessed using American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scale, Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of Mortality and morbidity (P-POSSUM), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), and Surgical APGAR Score (SAS) scores. The real and the estimated length of stay (LOS) were registered. Results: We obtained several statistically significant positive correlations: ASA score–P-POSSUM (p < 0.01, r = 0.465); ASA score–SAS, (p < 0.01, r = −0.446); ASA score–APACHE II, (p < 0.01 r = 0.519); predicted LOS and ASA score (p < 0.01, r = 0.676); predicted LOS and p-POSSUM (p < 0.01, r = 0.433); and predicted LOS and APACHE II (p < 0.01, r = 0.454). A significant negative correlation between predicted LOS, real LOS, ASA class, and SAS (p < 0.05) was observed. We found a statistically significant difference between the predicted and actual LOS (p < 001). Conclusions: Anesthetic, surgical, and severity scores, used together, provide clearer information about mortality, morbidity, and LOS. ASA scale, associated with surgical scores and severity scores, presents a better image of the patient’s progress in the perioperative period. In our study, APACHE II is the best predictor of mortality, followed by P-POSSUM and SAS. P-POSSUM score and ASA scale may be complementary in terms of preoperative physiological factors, providing valuable information for postoperative outcomes.

Complications as a Mediator of the Perioperative Frailty-Mortality Association

BACKGROUND

Preoperative frailty is strongly associated with postoperative complications and mortality. However, the pathways between frailty, postoperative complications, and mortality are poorly described. The authors hypothesized that the occurrence of postoperative complications would mediate a substantial proportion of the total effect of frailty on mortality after elective noncardiac surgery.

METHODS

Following protocol registration, the authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of intermediate- to high-risk elective noncardiac surgery patients (2016) using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data. The authors conducted Bayesian mediation analysis of the relationship between preoperative frailty (exposure, using the Risk Analysis Index), serious complications (mediator), and 30-day mortality (outcome), comprehensively adjusting for confounders. The authors estimated the total effect of frailty on mortality (composed of the indirect effect mediated by complications and the remaining direct effect of frailty) and estimated the proportion of the frailty-mortality association mediated by complications.

RESULTS

The authors identified 205,051 patients; 1,474 (0.7%) died. Complications occurred in 20,211 (9.9%). A 2 SD increase in frailty score resulted in a total association with mortality equal to an odds ratio of 3.79 (95% credible interval, 2.48 to 5.64), resulting from a direct association (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% credible interval, 1.34 to 2.30) and an indirect association mediated by complications (odds ratio, 2.15; 95% credible interval, 1.58 to 2.96). Complications mediated 57.3% (95% credible interval, 40.8 to 73.8) of the frailty-mortality association. Cardiopulmonary complications were the strongest mediators among complication subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Complications mediate more than half of the association between frailty and postoperative mortality in elective noncardiac surgery.

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Orthogeriatric Management: Improvements in Outcomes during Hospital Admission Due to Hip Fracture

Hip fractures are an important socio-economic problem in western countries. Over the past 60 years orthogeriatric care has improved the management of older patients admitted to hospital after suffering hip fractures. Quality of care in orthogeriatric co-management units has increased, reducing adverse events during acute admission, length of stay, both in-hospital and mid-term mortality, as well as healthcare and social costs. Nevertheless, a large number of areas of controversy regarding the clinical management of older adults admitted due to hip fracture remain to be clarified. This narrative review, centered in the last 5 years, combined the search terms "hip fracture", "geriatric assessment", "second hip fracture", "surgery", "perioperative management" and "orthogeriatric care", in order to summarise the state of the art of some questions such as the optimum analgesic protocol, the best approach for treating anemia, the surgical options recommendable for each type of fracture and the efficiency of orthogeriatric co-management and functional recovery.

Association between mortality and frailty in emergency general surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose

The purpose of this review was to determine the association between frailty and mortality among adults ≥ 65 years old undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS).

Methods

This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines (CRD42020172482 on PROSPERO). A search in MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted from inception to March 5, 2020. Studies with patients ≥ 65 years undergoing EGS were included. The primary exposure was frailty, measured using the Clinical Frailty Scale or the Modified Frailty Index. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were 90-day and 1-year mortality, length of stay, complications, change in level of care at discharge, and loss of independence. Two independent reviewers screened articles and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. A meta-analysis was performed for 30-day mortality using a random-effects model.

Results

Our search yielded 847 articles and six cohort studies were included in the systematic review. There were 1289 patients, 283 being frail. The pooled OR from meta-analysis for frail compared to non-frail patients was 2.91 (95% CI 2.00, 4.23) for 30-day mortality. Frailty was associated with increased odds of all secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Frailty is significantly associated with worse outcomes after emergency general surgery in adults ≥ 65 years of age. The Clinical Frailty Scale could be used to improve preoperative risk assessment for patients and shared decision-making between patients and healthcare providers.

Registration number

CRD42020172482 (PROSPERO).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00068-020-01578-9.

Predictive Effect of Frailty on Amputation, Mortality, and Ambulation in Patients Undergoing Revascularization for Acute Limb Ischemia

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a common, age-associated syndrome that has been used to predict postoperative outcomes in vascular surgery. This study examines if standard measures of frailty correlate with postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing revascularization for acute limb ischemia (ALI).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on all adult patients undergoing revascularization for ALI at an academic medical center between January 2016 and June 2019. Frailty was calculated with the 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI-11), derived from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Frailty Index. Outcomes examined included in-hospital mortality, major amputation, site of discharge, and ambulatory status at follow-up.

RESULTS

Fifty-three ambulatory patients presented with ALI during the study time period, with 13.2% deemed not frail (mFI-11 < 3) and 86.8% deemed frail (mFI-11 ≥ 3). Frailty was significantly correlated with discharge to a skilled nursing facility (P = 0.028) and nonambulation at follow-up (P = 0.002). There was no significant correlation with other outcomes, including mortality and amputation. On multivariate analysis, frailty was the only factor contributing to nonambulation at follow-up (P = 0.012). Endovascular treatment did not mitigate the effects of frailty on discharge site and ambulatory status.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is exceedingly common in patients with ALI. Although frailty predicts discharge site and nonambulation at follow-up, it is not associated with amputation or death. Therefore, frail patients should not be denied open or endovascular revascularization for ALI.

Hierarchical regression of ASA prediction model in predicting mortality prior to performing emergency laparotomy a systematic review

BACKGROUND

In light of increasing litigations around performing emergency surgery, various predictive tools are used for prediction of mortality prior to surgery. There are many predictive tools reported in literature, with ASA being one of the most widely accepted tools. Therefore, we attempted to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to conclude ASA's ability in predicting mortality for emergency surgeries.

METHODS

A wide literature search was conducted across MEDLINE and other databases using PubMed and Ovid with the following keywords; "Emergency laparotomy", "Surgical outcomes", "Mortality" and "Morbidity." A total of 3989 articles were retrieved and only 11 articles met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. Data was pooled and then analysed using the STATA 16.1 software. We conducted hierarchal regression between the following variables; mortality, gender, low ASA (ASA 1-2) and high ASA (ASA 3-5).

RESULTS

1. High ASA was associated with a higher rate of mortality in males with 'p' value of 0.0001 at alpha value of 0.025. 2. The female gender itself showed a significantly high mortality rate, irrespective of low ASA or high ASA with 'p' value of 0.04 at alpha value of 0.05. 3. ITU admissions with a high ASA had a greater number of deaths compared to low ASA. 'p' value of 0.0054 at alpha value of 0.01.

CONCLUSION

Higher ASA showed a direct association with mortality and the male gender. The female gender was associated with a higher risk of mortality regardless of the ASA grades.

Preoperative Frailty Predicts Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders After Total Hip Joint Replacement Surgery

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a reduced capacity to recover from a physiologically stressful event. It is well established that preoperative frailty is associated with poor postoperative outcomes, but it is unclear if this includes cognitive decline following anesthesia and surgery. This retrospective observational study was a secondary analysis of data from a previous study (the Anaesthesia, Cognition, Evaluation [ACE] study). We aimed to identify if preoperative frailty or prefrailty is associated with preoperative and postoperative neurocognitive disorders or postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

METHODS

The ACE study enrolled 300 participants aged ≥60 scheduled for elective total hip joint replacement and who underwent a full neuropsychological assessment at baseline and 3 and 12 months postoperatively. We applied patient data to 2 frailty models; both were based on an accumulation of deficits score: the reported Edmonton frail scale (REFS) and the comprehensive geriatric assessment-frailty index (CGA-FI) based on the comprehensive geriatric assessment. We calculated these 2 scores using baseline data collected from the medical history, demographic and clinical data as well as self-reported questionnaires. Some items on the REFS (3 of 18 or 17%) and the CGA-FI (37 of 51 or 27%) did not have an equivalent item in the ACE data.

RESULTS

The mean age (standard deviation [SD]) was 70.1 years (6.6) with more women (197 [66%]). Using the REFS model, 40 of 300 (13.3%) patients were classified as vulnerable, mild, or moderately frail. Using the CGA-FI model, 69 of 300 (23%) were classified as intermediate or high frailty. The REFS and the CGA-FI were strongly correlated (r = 0.75; P < .01) with 34 of 300 (11%) meeting criteria for frailty by both the REFS and the CGA-FI.Frailty or prefrailty was associated with cognitive decline at 3 and 12 months using the REFS (odds ratio [OR], 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.23 and OR, 2.00, 95% CI, 1.26-3.17, respectively) after adjusting for baseline mini-mental state examination (MMSE), smoking, hypertension, diabetes, history of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and estimated intelligence quotient (IQ). Age did not modify this association. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, 3-month cognitive decline was no longer significantly associated with baseline frailty.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective analysis demonstrates an association between baseline frailty and postoperative neurocognitive disorders, particularly using the more extensive REFS scoring method. This supports preoperative screening for frailty to risk-stratify patients, and identify and implement preventive strategies and to improve postoperative outcomes for older individuals.

Preoperative Evaluation of the Frail Patient

Perioperative management of older adults is a complex field that is heavily influenced by the clinical heterogeneity of older adults. Frailty-a geriatric syndrome in which a patient is more vulnerable to stressors due to decreases in physical function and reserve-has been indicative of adverse postoperative outcomes. Many tools have been developed to measure frailty that incorporate a variety of factors including physical and cognitive function, comorbidities, self-reported measures of health, and clinical judgment. Most of these frailty assessment tools are able to identify a subset of patients at risk of adverse outcomes including postoperative complications, longer hospital length of stay, discharge to a higher level of care, and mortality. Frailty assessment before surgical interventions can also guide discussions among patients, their families, anesthesiologists, and surgeons to tailor operative plans for patients to mitigate this increased risk. Studies are ongoing to identify interventions in frail patients that can improve postoperative outcomes, but high-quality data in the form of randomized controlled trials are lacking at this time.

Accuracy and Feasibility of Clinically Applied Frailty Instruments before Surgery

Background

A barrier to routine preoperative frailty assessment is the large number of frailty instruments described. Previous systematic reviews estimate the association of frailty with outcomes, but none have evaluated outcomes at the individual instrument level or specific to clinical assessment of frailty, which must combine accuracy with feasibility to support clinical practice.

Methods

The authors conducted a preregistered systematic review (CRD42019107551) of studies prospectively applying a frailty instrument in a clinical setting before surgery. Medline, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library and the Comprehensive Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane databases were searched using a peer-reviewed strategy. All stages of the review were completed in duplicate. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes reflected routinely collected and patient-centered measures; feasibility measures were also collected. Effect estimates were pooled using random-effects models or narratively synthesized. Risk of bias was assessed.

Results

Seventy studies were included; 45 contributed to meta-analyses. Frailty was defined using 35 different instruments; five were meta-analyzed, with the Fried Phenotype having the largest number of studies. Most strongly associated with: mortality and nonfavorable discharge was the Clinical Frailty Scale (odds ratio, 4.89; 95% CI, 1.83 to 13.05 and odds ratio, 6.31; 95% CI, 4.00 to 9.94, respectively); complications was associated with the Edmonton Frail Scale (odds ratio, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.52 to 5.65); and delirium was associated with the Frailty Phenotype (odds ratio, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.75 to 8.22). The Clinical Frailty Scale had the highest reported measures of feasibility.

Conclusions

Clinicians should consider accuracy and feasibility when choosing a frailty instrument. Strong evidence in both domains support the Clinical Frailty Scale, while the Fried Phenotype may require a trade-off of accuracy with lower feasibility.

Editor’s Perspective

What We Already Know about This Topic

What This Article Tells Us That Is New

Sarcopenia does not affect postoperative complication rates in oesophageal cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The high morbidity and mortality rates after oesophagectomy indicate the need for rigorous patient selection and preoperative risk assessment. Although muscle mass depletion has been proposed as a potential prognostic factor for postoperative complications and decreased survival in gastrointestinal cancer patients, available data are conflicting. The purpose of the present meta-analysis is to determine whether sarcopenia predicts postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing oesophagectomy.

METHODS

The databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Clinicaltrials.gov, CENTRAL and Google Scholar were searched for studies reporting on the effect of sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes following oesophageal cancer surgery. Outcomes included surgical complications, anastomotic leakage, respiratory complications, cardiovascular complications, postoperative infections, major complications and overall complications. The random effects model (DerSimonian-Laird) was used to calculate pooled effect estimates when high heterogeneity was encountered, otherwise the fixed-effects (Mantel-Haenszel) model was implemented.

FINDINGS

A total of eight studies involving 1488 patients diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and who underwent oesophagectomy were included in the meta-analysis. The presence of sarcopenia did not significantly increase the rate of surgical complications (odds ratio, OR, 0.86, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.40-1.85), anastomotic leakage (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.42-1.35), respiratory complications (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.21-1.48), cardiovascular complications (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.31-2.83), postoperative infection (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.52-2.50), major complications (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.23-2.82) or overall postoperative complications (OR 0.80, 95% 0.32-1.99).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia does not seem to affect postoperative complication rates of patients undergoing oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer. Future research should focus on determining whether prognosis differs according to muscle mass in this patient population.

Physiological and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity, frailty, and perioperative quality of life in the elderly

Background:

Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) is a validated instrument used to predict morbidity. The aim of our study was to evaluate the performance of the POSSUM score system on predicting perioperative frailty and quality of life (QOL) in elderly surgical patients.

Patients and Methods:

An observational prospective study was conducted during 3 months. POSSUM was used to determine operative morbidity risk. Patients with a POSSUM score ≥26 were considered as having a high POSSUM (PHP). WHODAS 2.0, EuroQOL-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), Charlson score, and the Clinical Frailty Scale were used to assess the QOL and frailty. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann–Whitney tests were used for comparisons.

Results:

Two hundred and thirty-five patients were included. Median age was 69 years; 58% were ASA I/II and 42% ASA III/IV. Frailty was present in 53 patients (23%). Median POSSUM score was 26. Patients PHP were older (median age 71 vs. 68, P = 0.008), more frequently ASA III/IV (P = 0.001), had higher median Charlson scores (7 vs. 5, P = 0.006) and were more frail (49% vs. 26%, P < 0.001). PHP presented more problems in EQ-5D dimensions preoperatively (mobility: 59% vs 41%, P = 0.008; care: 41% vs. 25%, P = 0.013; activity: 52% vs. 32%, P = 0.002; pain: 59% vs. 45%, P = 0.041) but not anxiety (P = 0.137). Three months after surgery, PHP patients presented more problems in mobility: 63% vs. 38%, P < 0.001; care: 48% vs. 31%, P = 0.009; activity: 58% vs. 44%, P = 0.036; pain 59% vs. 37%, P = 0.001 and anxiety: 54% vs. 50%, P = 0.025.

Conclusions:

Patients PHP were frailer and had worse perioperative QOL.