Utility of the mFI-5 as a predictor of post-operative outcomes following gastrectomy for gastric cancer: an ACS-NSQIP analysis.

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is the 5th most common malignancy worldwide. Surgical treatment for the disease can often be highly morbid, especially in elderly patients. The modified 5-item frailty index (mFI-5), a recently developed tool for assessing patient frailty, has been shown to be an effective predictor of post-operative outcomes in various surgical fields. This study aims to assess the utility of the mFI-5 in predicting adverse postoperative outcomes following gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried for patients who underwent partial or total gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2011 and 2021. The mFI-5 score was calculated based on the presence of hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and partially or fully dependent functional status. Patients were stratified into 3 groups according to mFI-5 score (mFI-5 = 0, mFI-5 = 1, mFI-5 ≥ 2). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the association between mFI-5 score and post-operative outcomes.

RESULTS

7438 patients were identified (mFI-5 = 0: 3032, mFI-5 = 1: 2805, mFI-5 ≥ 2: 1601). mFI-5 ≥ 2 was an independent predictor of overall complications (OR 1.43, p < 0.001), serious complications (OR 1.42, p < 0.001), pneumonia (OR 1.43, p = 0.010), MI (OR 2.91, p = 0.005), and readmission within 30 days (OR 1.33, p = 0.008). Patients with higher frailty were more likely to experience unplanned intubation (OR 2.06, p < 0.001; OR 2.47, p < 0.001), failure to wean from the ventilator (OR 1.68, p = 0.003; OR 2.00, p < 0.001), acute renal failure (OR 3.25, p = 0.003; OR 3.27, p = 0.005), 30-day mortality (OR 1.73, p = 0.009; OR 1.94, p = 0.004), and non-home discharge (OR 1.34, p = 0.001; OR 1.74, p < 0.001) relative to non-frail patients.

CONCLUSION

Higher frailty, as indicated by an increased mFI-5 score, raises the risk of serious post-operative complications in patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy. The mFI-5 has the potential to help identify high-risk patients and enhance pre-operative discussions and optimization.