Sarcopenia and Postoperative Complications in
Gastrointestinal Cancer

Camila Cava Miguel; Virgínia Desirée Mendes de Moraes Kliemann; Camila Brandao Polakowski; Vinícius Basso Preti; Flavio Daniel Saavedra Tomasich; Vitor Arce Cathcart Ferreira

Research Article

Sarcopenia and Postoperative Complications in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Camila Cava Miguel¹*, Virgínia Desirée Mendes de Moraes Kliemann¹, Camila Brandao Polakowski¹, Vinícius Basso Preti², Flavio Daniel Saavedra Tomasich² and Vitor Arce Cathcart Ferreira²

¹Department of Nutrition, Erasto Gaertner Hospital, Brazil

²Oncologic surgery, Erasto Gaertner Hospital, Brazil

Corresponding Author

Received Date: January 26, 2019; Published Date: February 21, 2019

Abstract

Background: Surgical procedures in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer have an impact on nutritional status. Sarcopenia has been determined as an independent factor for the increase of postoperative complications in elderly patients. Objective: Correlate the presence of sarcopenia with postoperative complications in elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods: Prospective study, including 46 elderly patients undergoing curative and elective surgery of the gastrointestinal tract. Sarcopenia was identified using the criteria of The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. The nutritional profile of the sample was evaluated by the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, biochemical parameters of transferrin, albumin and total lymphocyte count and by the Body Mass Index. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences® (SPSS) program. The t test, Chi-square, in addition to the ROC curve and the non-linear regression analysis were applied. Statistical significance was considered when p <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Result: In the sample, 30,4% (n=14) of the patients were sarcopenic. Sarcopenia was associated with an increase in postoperative complications (p=0.003), in addition to an increase in length of hospital stay (p=0.042). The ROC curve showed area under the curve of 0,807, and nonlinear regression analysis demonstrated that 80% of patients with sarcopenia are at higher risk of postoperative complications. Conclusion: Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for the development of postoperative complications, and it is associated with increased length of hospital stay. The effectiveness of nutritional intervention should be evaluated in this group.

Keywords: Sarcopenia; Nutritional status; Neoplasms

TAbbreviations: EWGSOP: The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People; BMI: Body Mass Index; % WL: Percentage of Weight Loss; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; PG-SGA: Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment; BIA: Bioelectrical Impedance; SPPB: Short Physical Performance Battery; TLC: Total Lymphocyte Count; UICC: International Union Against Cancer; INCA: National Cancer Institute

Article Details

Citation

Camila Cava Miguel, Virgínia Desirée Mendes de Moraes Kliemann, Camila Brandao Polakowski, Vinícius Basso Preti, Flavio Daniel Saavedra Tomasich, Vitor Arce Cathcart Ferreira. Sarcopenia and Postoperative Complications in Gastrointestinal Cancer Adv Can Res & Clinical Imag. 1(3): 2019. ACRCI.MS.ID.000511.