title: Prognostic factors for complications following pulmonary resection: pre-albumin analysis, time on mechanical ventilation, and other factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether pre-operative nutritional status and post-operative time on mechanical ventilation, as well as others factors, are correlated with post-operative complications (general or pulmonary) in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted, involving 71 patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection. The data collected pre-operatively included gender, age, smoking status, pre-albumin level, lymphocyte count, and body mass index. The peri-operative data included type of surgery and surgical time, as well as post-operative time on mechanical ventilation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-operative complications were found to correlate with low pre-albumin concentration, type of resection, surgical time, and post-operative time on mechanical ventilation. Surgical time and post-operative time on mechanical ventilation were also implicated in the post-operative pulmonary complications observed in 22 (30.99%) of the patients studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that pre-albumin concentration, type of surgery and surgical time, as well as post-operative time on mechanical ventilation, serve as predictive indices of post-operative complications in patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection. In the analysis of the post-operative pulmonary complications, statistically significant correlations were found between such complications and increases in surgical time or post-operative time on mechanical ventilation.
authors: Surgery Department, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP, Campinas State University), School of Medicine, Campinas, Brazil. bianchirenata@hotmail.com
authors: Renata Cristiane Gennari
authors: RC
authors: Bianchi
authors: Juliana Nalin
authors: JN
authors: de Souza
authors: Carolina de Almeida
authors: Cde A
authors: Giaciani
authors: Neucy Fenalti
authors: NF
authors: Hoehr
authors: Ivan Felizardo Contrera
authors: IF
authors: Toro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000601:surgery*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins