Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: an evaluation of immunity

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Impact of Age on Perioperative Inflammatory Biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Dysregulation of immune responses to surgical stress in older patients and those with frailty may manifest as differences in inflammatory biomarkers. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine differences in perioperative inflammatory biomarkers between older and younger patients, and between patients with and without frailty.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases were searched (Inception to June 23, 2020). Observational or experimental studies reporting the perioperative level or activity of biomarkers in surgical patients stratified by age or frailty status were included. The primary outcome was inflammatory biomarkers (grouped by window of ascertainment: pre-op; post-op: <12 hours, 12-24 hours, 1-3 days, 3 days to 1 week, and >1 week). Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Inverse-variance, random-effects meta-analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Forty-five studies (4263 patients) were included in the review, of which 36 were pooled for meta-analysis (28 noncardiac and 8 cardiac studies). Two studies investigated frailty as the exposure, while the remaining investigated age. In noncardiac studies, older patients had higher preoperative levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP), lower preoperative levels of lymphocytes, and higher postoperative levels of IL-6 (<12 hours) and CRP (12-24 hours) than younger patients. In cardiac studies, older patients had higher preoperative levels of IL-6 and CRP and higher postoperative levels of IL-6 (<12 hours and >1 week).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate a paucity of frailty-specific studies; however, the presence of age-associated differences in the perioperative inflammatory response is consistent with age-associated states of chronic systemic inflammation and immunosenescence. Additional studies assessing frailty-specific changes in the systemic biologic response to surgery may inform the development of targeted interventions.

Perioperative outcomes after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is increasingly performed in an ever ageing population; however, the risks are poorly quantified. The study aims to review the current evidence to quantify further the postoperative risk of cholecystectomy in the elderly population compared to younger patients.

METHOD

A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases were conducted including studies reporting laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly population. A meta-analysis was reported in accordance with the recommendations of the Cochrane Library and PRISMA guidelines. Primary outcome was overall complications and secondary outcomes were conversion to open surgery, bile leaks, postoperative mortality and length of stay.

RESULTS

This review identified 99 studies incorporating 326,517 patients. Increasing age was significantly associated with increased rates of overall complications (OR 2.37, CI95% 2.00-2.78), major complication (OR 1.79, CI95% 1.45-2.20), risk of conversion to open cholecystectomy (OR 2.17, CI95% 1.84-2.55), risk of bile leaks (OR 1.50, CI95% 1.07-2.10), risk of postoperative mortality (OR 7.20, CI95% 4.41-11.73) and was significantly associated with increased length of stay (MD 2.21 days, CI95% 1.24-3.18).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative outcomes such as overall and major complications appear to be significantly higher in all age cut-offs in this meta-analysis. This study demonstrated there is a sevenfold increase in perioperative mortality which increases by tenfold in patients > 80 years old. This study appears to confirm preconceived suspicions of higher risks in elderly patients undergoing cholecystectomy and may aid treatment planning and informed consent.

Reporting of complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Consistent measurement and reporting of outcomes, including adequately defined complications, is important for the evaluation of surgical care and the appraisal of new surgical techniques. The range of complications reported after LC has not been evaluated. This study aimed to identify the range of complications currently reported for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), and the adequacy of their definitions.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for prospective studies reporting clinical outcomes of LC, between 2013 and 2016.

RESULTS

In total 233 studies were included, reporting 967 complications, of which 204 (21%) were defined. One hundred and twenty-two studies (52%) did not provide definitions for any of the complications reported. Conversion to open cholecystectomy was the most commonly reported complication, reported in 135 (58%) studies, followed by bile leak in 89 (38%) and bile duct injury in 75 (32%). Mortality was reported in 89 studies (38%).

CONCLUSION

Considerable variation was identified between studies in the choice of measures used to evaluate the complications of LC, and in their definitions. A standardised set of core outcomes of LC should be developed for use in clinical trials and in evaluating the performance of surgical units.

Effects of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy and the influence on immune function and inflammatory factors

The effects of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were observed, and changes in immune function and inflammatory factors of gastric cancer patients were examined. In total, 236 cases of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were selected between March 2014 and October 2015 and divided into the control and experimental groups. The control group was treated using open radical gastrectomy, while laparoscopic radical gastrectomy was used in the experimental group. Treatment effects, immune function and inflammatory factor in the two groups were compared. Compared to the open radical gastrectomy group, surgery time in the laparoscopic radical gastrectomy group was longer, while blood loss during operation, time of exsufflation through anus after operation, duration of acesodyne use, length of stay and incidence of complications were lower, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). As for the amount of lymph node dissection, differences between the two groups were of no statistical significance (P>0.05). CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cell ratios in the two groups 1 and 7 days after surgery were obviously lower than those before surgery (P<0.05) while CD8⁺ was higher. In addition, compared with the open radical gastrectomy group, CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cell ratios in the laparoscopic radical gastrectomy group increased while CD8 was lower, and differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Differences of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and CRP between the two groups 1 day before surgery were of no statistical significance (P>0.05). One day after surgery, IL-6, TNF and CRP in the two groups increased (P<0.05) and the values in the open radical gastrectomy group were higher (P<0.05). Differences in IL-6 between the two groups 7 days after surgery were of no statistical significance (P>0.05). However, for CRP and TNF, the two values gradually decreased and the differences between the groups were of statistical significance (P<0.05). In conclusion, laparoscopic radical gastrectomy has better treatment effects, lower inflammatory response, less impact on the immune system and fewer complications, which is worth clinical consideration.