Clinical ScienceSimple frailty score predicts postoperative complications across surgical specialties
Section snippets
Methods
This was a prospective cohort study performed at the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO. Regulatory approval was obtained through the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (COMIRB 08-1071). Inclusion criteria were patients 65 years or older undergoing elective colorectal or cardiac operations. Elective cardiac and colon operations were studied because these are 2 common operations performed at our institution that require inpatient stays and are complex enough operations
Results
A total of 201 subjects were studied with an average age of 74 ± 6 years, and 196 (98%) were men. Colorectal operations were performed in 72 (36%) and cardiac operations in 129 (64%) of the total group. A list of operations performed for the colorectal group included the following: 26 (36%) right colectomies, 16 (22%) left colectomies, 22 (31%) sigmoid colectomies, and 8 (11%) colostomy takedowns. A list of operations performed in the cardiac group included 75 (58%) coronary artery bypass
Comments
Although the concept that frailty results in adverse health care events in community-dwelling older adults is well established,19, 20 the notion that frailty can forecast adverse postoperative events in older adults is relatively new. Using a frailty score to risk stratify surgical patients represents a paradigm shift from the current preoperative risk assessment strategy. Frailty measurements were collected by both preanesthesia nurse practitioners and a research assistant who were trained in
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Supported by the Paul B. Beeson Award (NIA K23AG034632 [TNR]), Dennis W. Jahnigen Award, American Geriatrics Society (TNR) and National Institutes of Health (K24-HL-089223 [MM]).