Do age, gender, or tumor location affect outcomes when using metallic stents in the palliative treatment of esophageal carcinoma?
Metallic esophageal stents are marketed as easier to insert with fewer placement and subsequent stent-related problems. Accordingly, we retrospectively/prospectively reviewed our experience placing metallic esophageal stents in malignant strictures.


METHODS
The research design was a one-group pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design including all patients who underwent metallic stent placement at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle between August 1987 and August 1997. Data included descriptive statistics of patient demographics, pre- and post-dysphagia scores, acute and subacute complications, repeated interventions, and patient survival outcomes. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test assessing pre- and post-dysphagia scores, and 2-way ANOVA were used to analyze the statistical relationship between complications and 1) stent location, 2) patient gender, and 3) patient age.


RESULTS
Seventy-five metallic stents were placed in 63 patients. Improvement in pre- and post-dysphagia scores was statistically significant. Factor analysis was not statistically significant for complications and stent location, complications and gender, and complications and age.


CONCLUSIONS
Metallic esophageal stents showed statistically significant improvement for patient dysphagia. Complications of stent placement did not correlate with location of stent, age, or gender.
Raltz
S L
SL
Section of Gastroenterology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98111, USA.
Kozarek
R A
RA
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004867:Equipment Design; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015607:Stents; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008670:Metals