Outcome 1 year after digestive surgery in malnourished, elderly patients, with an emphasis on quality of life analysis.
BACKGROUND
Quality of life data after digestive surgery in malnourished, elderly patients are rarely reported. What can we expect as 1-year outcomes in these high-risk patients after digestive surgery?


METHODS
We conducted a prospective observational study in a digestive surgery department in a tertiary, nonacademic hospital in Mulhouse, France. Malnourished, older patients (according to the Nutritional Risk Index) undergoing digestive surgery between November 2007 and December 2008 were included and followed up for 1 year. Quality of life was measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire at the end of the study period.


RESULTS
We included 37 patients with a median age of 76 (range 66-86) years in our study. The mean global health status and quality of life score in 17 of 24 living patients 1 year after surgery was 68.6 (standard deviation [SD] 12.4), and no difference with the score of a reference population 70.8 (SD 22.1) was observed (p = 0.68). In-hospital mortality was 11% and morbidity was 70%.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggests that despite high postoperative mortality and morbidity, an acceptable quality of life can be achieved in malnourished, elderly survivors of digestive surgery.
The Cabinet de medecine générale, Habsheim, France. zachariast@ch-mulhouse.fr
Céline
C
Zacharias
Thomas
T
Zacharias
D000368:Aged; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome