title: Western body mass indices need not compromise outcomes after modified D2 gastrectomy for carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine the role of body mass index (BMI) in a Western population on outcomes after modified D2 gastrectomy (preserving pancreas and spleen where possible) for gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four consecutive patients undergoing an R0 modified D2 gastrectomy for gastric cancer were studied prospectively. Male patients with a BMI of greater than 24.7 kgm(-2) and female patients with a BMI of greater than 22.6 kgm(-2) were classified as overweight and compared with control patients with BMIs below these reference values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight of the patients (45%) were classified as overweight. The median BMI of the overweight patients was 27.0 kgm(-2) (range, 22.7-34.7 kgm(-2); 27 males) compared with 21.2 kgm(-2) (range, 15.2-24.7 kgm(-2), 31 males) for control patients. Operative morbidity and mortality were 26% and 7.9% in overweight patients compared with 22% and 6.5% in control patients (morbidity, chi(2) = 0.240; df = 1; P = 0.624; mortality, chi(2) = 0.059; df = 1; P = 0.808). Cumulative survival at 5 years was 52% for overweight patients compared with 55% for control patients (chi(2) = 0.15; df = 1; P = 0.7002). In a multivariate analysis, the number of lymph node metastases (hazard ratio, 1.441; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.159-1.723; P = 0.009) and splenectomy (hazard ratio, 12.111; 95% CI, 9.645-14.577; P = 0.043) were independently associated with the duration of survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High BMIs were not associated with increased operative risk, and longterm outcomes were similar in the two groups after modified D2 gastrectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, NP20 2UB, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Guy R J C
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Blackshaw
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Wyn G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Ilias
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hodzovic
authors.forename: Ian W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Miles C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010179:Pancreas / Q000601:surgery; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D013154:Spleen / Q000601:surgery; D013156:Splenectomy; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology