Management of acute cholecystitis in elderly patients: A propensity score-matched analysis of surgical vs. medical treatment

Outcomes after cholecystectomy in patients aged ≥80 years: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program analysis evaluating safety and risk factors for elderly patients

BACKGROUND

Geriatric patients may be at an increased risk of complications after cholecystectomy; however, quantification of this risk is not defined. We aimed to evaluate outcomes after cholecystectomy in octogenarians and factors independently associated with complications in these patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of 2017 to 2021 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data evaluating patients undergoing cholecystectomy, comparing patients aged ≥80 years with those aged <80 years. We compared demographics and outcomes with multivariable logistic regression modeling to evaluate factors independently associated with serious complications and mortality or serious complications.

RESULTS

Overall, 288,705 patients were included with 4.9% being octogenarian. Octogenarians were more likely to have comorbidities, functional dependence, and lower body mass index. Octogenarians were more likely to receive open cholecystectomies (7.2% vs 2.8%; P <.001), and they had longer operative time (76.6 vs 70.2 min; P <.001) and hospital stay (4.1 vs 1.6 days; P <.001). They were also more likely to undergo reoperation (1.7% vs 0.9%; P <.001) or have serious complications (9.7% vs 2.9%; P <.001). Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that being an octogenarian was an independent factor of increased risk of mortality (odds ratio [OR], 3.29; P <.001) and serious complications (OR, 1.54; P <.001). Specific to octogenarians, minimally invasive surgical approach was significantly protective against serious complications (OR, 0.30; P <.001) and mortality (OR, 0.29; P <.001), whereas functional dependence increased likelihood of morbidity (OR, 4.42; P <.001) and serious complications (OR, 2.08; P =.002).

CONCLUSION

Octogenarians have an increased risk of morbidity after cholecystectomy. Minimally invasive surgery seems protective for these patients. Assessment of the octogenarians' functional dependence would provide insight preoperatively into their markedly increased perioperative risk.

Recurrence rate of cholecystitis after initial gallbladder stenting versus secondary gallbladder stenting: A propensity score matching study

Objective

Limitations are sometimes encountered in the application of laparoscopic cholecystectomy to the treatment of acute cholecystitis. Endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS) has emerged as an additional option. However, the long-term stent patency remains an issue. This study was performed to compare the efficacy of primary and secondary EGBS.

Methods

Sixty-one patients who underwent preplanned EGBS because of poor surgical tolerance from January 2006 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the initial EGBS group, in which EGBS was performed as the first option (n = 37), and the secondary EGBS group, in which EGBS was performed following other treatments (n = 24). The primary endpoint was the 3-month recurrence rate, and the secondary endpoint was the technical success rate. Propensity score matching was performed to align the patients' background factors between the two groups.

Results

After propensity score matching, six patients from each group were selected for analysis. The technical success rate was significantly higher in the secondary EGBS group (73.0% [27/37] vs. 95.8% [23/24], respectively). Furthermore, the 3-month recurrence rate was significantly higher in the initial than secondary EGBS group (66.7% [4/6] vs. 0.0% [0/6], respectively; p = 0.0232).

Conclusion

Secondary EGBS may effectively prevent recurrent cholecystitis in patients with poor surgical tolerance.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy tube placement as a bridge to cholecystectomy for grade III acute cholecystitis: A national analysis

Introduction

Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PCT) is an alternative to cholecystectomy (CCY) in high-risk surgical candidates with severe acute cholecystitis. A subset of these patients ultimately undergo delayed CCY. We therefore compared outcomes of delayed CCY in patients with grade III acute cholecystitis who received a PCT on index admission, to those who did not.

Methods

Non-elective adult hospitalizations for grade III acute cholecystitis that underwent delayed CCY were identified in the 2016-2020 Nationwide Readmission Database. Patients who received a PCT during their index admission comprised the PCT group (others: Non-PCT). Outcomes were assessed for the CCY hospitalization. Entropy balancing was used to generate sample weights to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. Regression models were created to evaluate the association between PCT and the outcomes of interest.

Results

Of an estimated 13,782 patients, 13.3 % comprised PCT. Compared to Non-PCT, PCT were older (71.1 ± 13.1 vs 67.4 ± 15.3 years) and more commonly in the highest income quartile (22.5 vs 16.1 %, both p < 0.001). After risk adjustment, PCT was associated with reduced odds of respiratory (AOR 0.67, CI 0.54-0.83) and infectious (AOR 0.77, CI 0.62-0.96) complications after eventual CCY. Finally, PCT had comparable pLOS (β +0.31, CI [-0.14, 0.77]) and operative hospitalization costs (β $800, CI [-2300, +600]).

Conclusion

In the present study, PCT was associated with decreased odds of perioperative complications and comparable resource utilization upon readmission CCY. Our findings suggest that PCT may be helpful in bridging patients with grade III acute cholecystitis to eventual CCY.

Low skeletal muscle mass and high visceral adiposity are associated with recurrence of acute cholecystitis after conservative management: A propensity score-matched cohort study

BACKGROUND

Recurrent acute cholecystitis (RAC) can occur after non-surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC), and can be more severe in comparison to the first episode of AC. Low skeletal muscle mass or adiposity have various effects in several diseases. We aimed to clarify the relationship between RAC and body parameters.

METHODS

Patients with AC who were treated at our hospital between January 2011 and March 2022 were enrolled. The psoas muscle mass and adipose tissue area at the third lumbar level were measured using computed tomography at the first episode of AC. The areas were divided by height to obtain the psoas muscle mass index (PMI) and subcutaneous/visceral adipose tissue index (SATI/VATI). According to median VATI, SATI and PMI values by sex, patients were divided into the high and low PMI groups. We performed propensity score matching to eliminate the baseline differences between the high PMI and low PMI groups and analyzed the cumulative incidence and predictors of RAC.

RESULTS

The entire cohort was divided into the high PMI (n = 81) and low PMI (n = 80) groups. In the propensity score-matched cohort there were 57 patients in each group. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, the low PMI group and the high VATI group had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of RAC than their counterparts (log-rank P = 0.001 and 0.015, respectively). In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, the hazard ratios of low PMI and low VATI for RAC were 5.250 (95% confidence interval 1.083-25.450, P = 0.039) and 0.158 (95% confidence interval: 0.026-0.937, P = 0.042), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Low skeletal muscle mass and high visceral adiposity were independent risk factors for RAC.

Impact of empiric antibiotic therapy on the clinical outcome of acute calculous cholecystitis

PURPOSE

Although mortality and morbidity of severe acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) are still a matter of concern, the impact of inadequate empirical antibiotic therapy has been poorly studied as a risk factor. The objective was to assess the impact of the adequacy of empirical antibiotic therapy on complication and mortality rates in ACC.

METHODS

This observational retrospective cohort chart-based single-center study was conducted between 2012 and 2016. A total of 963 consecutive patients were included, and pure ACC was selected. General, clinical, postoperative, and microbiological variables were collected, and risk factors and consequences of inadequate treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

Bile, blood, and/or exudate cultures were obtained in 76.3% of patients, more often in old, male, and severely ill patients (P < 0.001). Patients who were cultured had a higher overall rate of postoperative complications (47.4% vs. 29.7%; P < 0.001), as well as of severe complications (11.6% vs. 4.7%; P = 0.008). Patients with positive cultures had more overall complications (54.8% vs. 39.6%; P = 0.001), more severe complications (16.3% vs. 6.7%; P = 0.001), and higher mortality rates (6% vs. 1.9%; P = 0.012). Patients who received inadequate empirical antibiotic therapy had a fourfold higher mortality rate than those receiving adequate therapy (n = 283; 12.8% vs. 3.4%; P = 0.003). This association was especially marked in severe ACC TG-III patients (n = 132; 18.2 vs. 5.1%; P = 0.018) and remained a predictor of mortality in a binary logistic regression (OR 4.4; 95% CI 1.3-15.3).

CONCLUSION

Patients with positive cultures developed more complications and faced higher mortality. Adequate empirical antibiotic therapy appears to be of paramount importance in ACC, particularly in severely ill patients.

Frailty assessment as independent prognostic factor for patients ≥65 years undergoing urgent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis

BACKGROUND

To evaluate, in a prospective observational cohort study of adults ≥65 years old, the frailty status at the emergency department (ED) admission for the in-hospital death risk stratification of patients needing urgent cholecystectomy.

METHODS

Clinical variables and frailty status assessed in the ED were evaluated for the association with major complications and the need for open surgery. The parameters evaluated were frailty, comorbidities, physiological parameters, surgical approach, and laboratory values at admission. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for poor outcomes.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 358 patients aged ≥65 years [median age 74 years]; 190 males (53.1%)]. Overall, 259 patients (72.4%) were classified as non-frail, and 99 (27.6%) as frail. The covariate-adjusted analysis revealed that frailty (P< 0.001), and open surgery (P = 0.015) were independent predictors of major complications. Frailty, peritonitis, constipation at ED admission, and Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 4 were associated with higher odds of open surgical approach (2.06 [1.23 - 3.45], 2.49 [1.13 - 5.48], 11.59 [2.26 - 59.55], 2.45 [1.49 - 4.02]; respectively).

DISCUSSION

In patients aged ≥65 years undergoing urgent cholecystectomy, the evaluation of functional status in the ED could predict the risk of open surgical approach and major complications. Frail patients have an increased risk both for major complications and need for "open" surgical approach.