Increasing Frailty, Not Increasing Age, Results in Increased Length of Stay Following Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery

Role of Frailty Status in Prediction of Clinical Outcomes of Traumatic Spinal Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although many frailty tools have been used to predict traumatic spinal injury (TSI) outcomes, identifying predictors of outcomes after TSI in the aged population is difficult. Frailty, age, and TSI association are interesting topics of discussion in geriatric literature. However, the association between these variables are yet to be clearly elucidated. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the association between frailty and TSI outcomes. The authors searched Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science for relevant studies. Studies with observational designs that assessed baseline frailty status in individuals suffering from TSI published from inception until 26th March 2023 were included. Length of hospital stay (LoS), adverse events (AEs), and mortality were the outcomes of interest. Of the 2425 citations, 16 studies involving 37,640 participants were included. The modified frailty index (mFI) was the most common tool used to assess frailty. Meta-analysis was employed only in studies that used mFI for measuring frailty. Frailty was significantly associated with increased in-hospital or 30-day mortality (pooled odds ratio [OR]: 1.93 [1.19; 3.11]), non-routine discharge (pooled OR: 2.44 [1.34; 4.44]), and AEs or complications (pooled OR: 2.00 [1.14; 3.50]). However, no significant relationship was found between frailty and LoS (pooled OR: 3.02 [0.86; 10.60]). Heterogeneity was observed across multiple factors, including age, injury level, frailty assessment tool, and spinal cord injury characteristics. In conclusion, although there is limited data concerning using frailty scales to predict short-term outcomes after TSI, the results showed that frailty status may be a predictor of in-hospital mortality, AEs, and unfavorable discharge destination.

Frailty and postoperative outcomes in brain tumor patients: a systematic review subdivided by tumor etiology

PURPOSE

Frailty has gained prominence in neurosurgical oncology, with more studies exploring its relationship to postoperative outcomes in brain tumor patients. As this body of literature continues to grow, concisely reviewing recent developments in the field is necessary. Here we provide a systematic review of frailty in brain tumor patients subdivided by tumor type, incorporating both modern frailty indices and traditional Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) metrics.

METHODS

Systematic literature review was performed using PRISMA guidelines. PubMed and Google Scholar were queried for articles related to frailty, KPS, and brain tumor outcomes. Only articles describing novel associations between frailty or KPS and primary intracranial tumors were included.

RESULTS

After exclusion criteria, systematic review yielded 52 publications. Amongst malignant lesions, 16 studies focused on glioblastoma. Amongst benign tumors, 13 focused on meningiomas, and 6 focused on vestibular schwannomas. Seventeen studies grouped all brain tumor patients together. Seven studies incorporated both frailty indices and KPS into their analyses. Studies correlated frailty with various postoperative outcomes, including complications and mortality.

CONCLUSION

Our review identified several patterns of overall postsurgical outcomes reporting for patients with brain tumors and frailty. To date, reviews of frailty in patients with brain tumors have been largely limited to certain frailty indices, analyzing all patients together regardless of lesion etiology. Although this technique is beneficial in providing a general overview of frailty's use for brain tumor patients, given each tumor pathology has its own unique etiology, this combined approach potentially neglects key nuances governing frailty's use and prognostic value.

The Risk Analysis Index Has Superior Discrimination Compared With the Modified Frailty Index-5 in Predicting Worse Postoperative Outcomes for the Octogenarian Neurosurgical Patient

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE

Healthcare systems continuously strive to improve quality and value of care. Advances in surgical technologies, enhanced perioperative surgical planning, and multidisciplinary care strategies are increasing the number of elective procedures in the geriatric population. However, frail older adults are still more likely to have poor postoperative outcomes. We examined the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes, we compared the discriminative thresholds for the Risk Analysis Index (RAI), modified Frailty Index-5 (mFI-5), and increasing patient age.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION

Octogenarian patients undergoing spine, cranial, and other procedures captured in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program between 2012 and 2020 were included. We used receiver operating characteristic curve to examine discriminative thresholds of RAI, mFI-5, and increasing patient age. Multivariable analyses were performed. Our primary outcomes were 30-day mortality, extended length of stay (eLOS [≥75th percentile]), and continued inpatient care >30 days (pLOS). Secondary outcomes were skilled care facility (skilled nursing facility [SNF]) discharges and readmissions.

DISCUSSION

In total, 20 710 octogenarians were included, with a mean age of 83 years (SD, 2.5) and a men (52.7%) and White (79.8%) majority. The RAI had higher predictive discriminative thresholds for 30-day mortality (C-statistic of 0.743), eLOS (C-statistic: 0.692), and pLOS (C-statistic: 0.697) compared with the mFI-5 (C-statistic: 0.574, 0.556, and 0.550, respectively), and increasing patient age (C-statistic: 0.577, 0.546, and 0.504, respectively), P < .001. On multivariable analyses, RAI showed a larger effect size with adverse postoperative outcomes by increasing frailty strata than mFI-5 and increasing patient age. Nonetheless RAI showed decreased risk for SNF discharges.

CONCLUSION

We found that RAI was a more accurate predictor than mFI-5 and increasing patient age for 30-day mortality, eLOS, and pLOS in octogenarian neurosurgery patients. More research is needed on RAI's performance in different specialized neurosurgical populations. Moreover, it is increasingly clear that comprehensive risk assessment strategies tailored to optimize perioperative care should be prioritized to potentially improve outcomes for this at-risk population.

The Influence of Modifiable Risk Factors on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Receiving Surgery for Resection for Acoustic Neuroma

Acoustic neuromas are the most common tumor of the cerebellopontine angle that are associated with a number of symptoms that negatively impact a patient's quality of life. While the mainstay of treatment for these benign tumors remains microsurgical resection, there is limited research exploring how certain modifiable risk factors (MRFs) may affect the perioperative course. The purpose of this study was to investigate how MRFs including malnutrition, obesity, dyslipidemia, uncontrolled hypertension, and smoking may affect postoperative rates of readmission and nonroutine discharges. We utilized the 2016 and 2017 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database. MRFs were queried using appropriate International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coding for categories including malnutrition, obesity, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol, and hypertension. The statistical analysis was done using RStudio (Version 1.3.959). Chi-squared tests were done to evaluate differences between categorical variables. The Mann-Whitney U-testing was utilized to evaluate for statistically significant differences in continuous data. The "Epitools" package was used to develop logistic regression models for postoperative complications and post hoc receiver operating characteristic curves were developed. Pertaining to nonroutine discharge, predictive models using malnutrition outperformed all other MRFs as well as those with no MRFs (P < .05). In the case of readmission, models using malnutrition outperformed those of obesity and smoking (P < .05). Again, an increase in predictive power is seen in models using dyslipidemia when compared to obesity, smoking, or uncontrolled hypertension. Lastly, models using no MRFs outperformed those of obesity, smoking, and uncontrolled hypertension (P < .05). This is the first study of its kind to evaluate the role of MRFs in those undergoing surgical resection of their acoustic neuroma. We concluded that certain MRFs may play a role in complicating a patient's perioperative surgical course.

Factors associated with hearing outcomes after a middle fossa approach in 131 consecutive patients with vestibular schwannomas

OBJECTIVE

The middle fossa approach is an effective option for the treatment of small (Koos grade I and II) vestibular schwannomas (VSs) when the goal is hearing preservation. The authors evaluated the rates of hearing preservation and examined the factors associated with improved hearing outcomes after the middle fossa approach for VSs.

METHODS

In this retrospective, single-center cohort study evaluating the clinical outcomes after resection of small VSs using the middle fossa approach, consecutive adult patients (> 18 years) who underwent surgery between January 2000 and December 2021 were included. Clinical and imaging characteristics were analyzed, including baseline hearing status, duration of surgery, anesthetic parameters, and imaging characteristics of the surgically treated tumors.

RESULTS

Among the 131 included patients, 102 had valid and discoverable pre- and postoperative audiology assessments. The mean follow-up was 26 months (range 1-180 months). There were 85 patients with serviceable hearing preoperatively, defined as American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) class A or B, of whom 78% retained class A or B hearing at the last follow-up. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that preoperative hearing AAO-HNS class (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.77; p = 0.02), overlap between fundus and cochlea (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11-0.96; p = 0.04), and duration of anesthesia (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99; p = 0.03) were independent predictors of hearing outcomes. Additionally, 75% of patients with high diffusion-weighted imaging signal in the tumor (p = 0.009) and 67% of patients with the tumor originating at the modiolus of the cochlea (p = 0.004) had poor hearing outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The hearing preservation rates after microsurgical resection of small VSs using the middle fossa approach are high, with 78% of patients maintaining AAO-HNS class A or B hearing. Poor hearing status at baseline, longer duration of anesthesia, and large overlap between the fundus of the internal auditory canal and the cochlea were independently associated with unfavorable hearing outcomes. Imaging characteristics can be used to stratify patients' risk of hearing loss.

Impact of Patient Frailty on Speech Recognition and Quality of Life Outcomes in Adult Cochlear Implant Users

OBJECTIVE

The process of cochlear implantation (CI) and subsequent post-cochlear implant care is extensive and can be difficult to navigate for patients considered medically frail. This study investigates potential impact of patient frailty on speech recognition and quality of life outcomes after CI.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database.

SETTING

Tertiary cochlear implant center.

PATIENTS

Three hundred seventy adults undergoing CI for traditional bilateral hearing loss indication.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Comparison of pre-CI to 12-month post-CI change in consonant-nucleus-consonant phoneme/words, AzBio sentences in quiet/+10SNR, and Cochlear Implant Quality of Life (CIQOL)-35 Profile domain and global scores based on degree of patient frailty as assessed using the five-factor modified frailty index and Charlson Comorbidity Index.

RESULTS

The average age at implantation was 65.4 years (±SD, 15.7; 19-94 years). Overall, there were minimal to absent and nonsignificant differences in speech recognition outcomes (consonant-nucleus-consonant phoneme/words, and AzBio sentences +10SNR) based on pre-CI patient frailty. The exception was less improvement in AzBio quiet sentence score in patients noted to be severely frail based on Charlson Comorbidity Index (57.1% vs. 35.2%, d = 0.7 [0.3, 1]). Similar findings were observed for CIQOL-35 Profile domain and global scores where no associations were found other than decreased improvement in the social domain in patients noted to be severely frail (21.7 vs. -0.3, d = 1 [0.4, 1.7]).

CONCLUSIONS

Although some differences in outcomes were noted based on cochlear implant user frailty, these were small and isolated to only a few outcome measures. Therefore, assuming the patient is medically safe for surgery, preoperative frailty should not dissuade clinicians from recommending CI.

Assessment of the impact of frailty on adverse surgical outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for intracranial tumors using modified frailty index: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Modified frailty index (MFI) is an emerging quantitative measure of frailty; however, the quantified risk of adverse outcomes in surgeries for intracranial tumors associated with increasing MFI scores has not been thoroughly reviewed in a comprehensive manner.

METHODS

MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched to identify observational studies on the association between 5 and 11 item-modified frailty index (MFI) and perioperative outcomes for neurosurgical procedures including complications, mortality, readmission, and reoperation rate. Primary analysis pooled all comparisons with MFI scores greater than or equal to 1 versus non-frail participants using mixed-effects multilevel model for each outcome.

RESULTS

In total, 24 studies were included in the review and 19 studies with 114,707 surgical operations were included in the meta-analysis. While increasing MFI scores were associated with worse prognosis for all included outcomes, reoperation rate was only significantly higher in patients with MFI ≥ 3. Among surgical pathologies, glioblastoma was influenced by a greater extent to the impact of frailty on complications and mortality that most other etiologies. In agreement with qualitative evaluation of the included studies, meta-regression did not reveal association between mean age of the comparisons and complications rate.

CONCLUSION

The results of this meta-analysis provides quantitative risk assessment of adverse outcomes in neuro-oncological surgeries with increased frailty. The majority of literature suggests that MFI is a superior and independent predictor of adverse outcomes compared to age.

The Predictive Value of a Modified Frailty Index on Perioperative Morbidity and Mortality Following Otologic Surgery

Objectives

Recently, determinants of frailty have become an increasingly recognized perioperative risk stratification tool. This study examines the predictive value of a 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) on perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing otologic surgery, with a subgroup analysis based on surgery site.

Study Design

Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting

National surgical quality improvement program dataset 2005-2019.

Patients

Current procedural terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify patients undergoing all otologic surgeries.

Interventions

Otologic surgeries as indicated by CPT codes, including external ear, middle ear/mastoid, implants, and inner ear/facial nerve subgroups.

Main Outcome Measures

Primary outcomes examined in this study included rates of overall complications and life-threatening complications within 30 days after surgery. Overall complications included superficial surgical site infections (SSI), deep incisional SSI, readmission, deep vein thrombosis, life-threatening complications, and mortality. Life-threatening complications included those classified as Clavien-Dindo grade IV: cerebrovascular accident, mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours, reintubation, pulmonary embolism, acute renal failure, cardiac arrest, and myocardial infarction.

Results

A total of 16,859 patients who underwent otologic surgery were identified, resulting in a cohort that was 47.5% male with an average age of 47.6 years (17.1 SD). Multivariable regression analysis of the entire cohort demonstrated a score of 3 or more on the mFI-5 was independently predictive of all postoperative complications (odds ratio (OR): 2.02, P < 0.0001). However, subgroup analysis showed that only "external ear" surgery correlated with mFi-5 (OR 8.03, P = 0.013).

Conclusions

Higher frailty scores as measured by the mFI-5 correlate with postoperative morbidity and mortality after otologic surgery, though subgroup analysis reveals an association only with cases performed on the external ear. These findings suggest that for most otologic surgery, the mFI-5 frailty score is not predictive of postoperative complications.

Frailty in middle cranial fossa approach for encephalocele or cerebrospinal fluid leak repair

Objective

The modified 5-item frailty index (mFI-5) is a concise, comorbidity-based risk stratification tool that can predict adverse outcomes after surgery. The goal of this study was to understand the frailty of patients undergoing surgery for temporal encephalocele or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and the utility of mFI-5 for predicting increased post-operative outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective review of adults with temporal encephalocele or CSF leak who underwent middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach craniotomies with or without mastoidectomy from January 2015 through August 2021 at a tertiary care academic medical center was performed. Patients who underwent additional surgeries or extended surgical approaches were excluded. The mFI-5 was calculated for all patients. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from the medical record.

Results

Thirty-six patients underwent 40 MCF approach craniotomies for temporal encephalocele or CSF leak, including three revision cases and one patient with sequential bilateral operations. Mean age was 54.1 ± 10.8 years, and 66.7% were female. In the univariable regression analysis, mFI-5 score, age, and procedure time use were significantly associated with increased hospital length of stay (LOS) but not increased intensive care unit (ICU) LOS. Anesthesia time and lumbar drain were significantly associated with increased hospital LOS and ICU LOS, and they remained significantly associated with increased hospital LOS in the multivariable model.

Conclusion

Frailty is associated with increased hospital LOS stay among patients undergoing MCF approach for CSF leak or encephalocele. Reducing anesthesia time and avoiding lumbar drain use are potentially modifiable risk factors that can reduce the LOS and associated costs.

Level of Evidence

4.

Is There an Inherited Contribution to Risk for Sporadic Unilateral Vestibular Schwannoma? Evidence of Familial Clustering

OBJECT

Unlike the autosomal dominant inheritance of neurofibromatosis 2, there are no known inherited risk factors for sporadic, unilateral vestibular schwannoma (VS), which comprise most VS cases. The authors tested a hypothesis positing a genetic contribution to predisposition to these lesions by analyzing familial clustering of cases.

METHODS

Familial clustering of individuals with unilateral VS was analyzed in two independent genealogical resources with linked diagnosis data: the Veterans Health Administration Genealogy Resource and the Utah Population Database. Tests for excess relatedness, estimation of relative risks (RRs) in close and distant relatives, and identification of pedigrees with a significant excess of unilateral VS among descendants were performed.

RESULTS

The average pairwise relatedness of the Veterans Health Administration Genealogy Resource VS cases significantly exceeded the expected relatedness ( p = 0.016), even when close relationships were ignored ( p = 0.002). RR for third- and fifth-degree relatives developing VS were significantly elevated (RR, 60.83; p = 0.0005; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.37-219.73) and (RR, 11.88; p = 0.013; 95% CI, 1.44-42.90), respectively. No VS-affected first-, second-, or fourth-degree relatives were observed. In the Utah Population Database population, no first- or second-degree relatives with VS were observed. RR for fifth-degree relatives developing VS was significantly elevated (RR, 2.23; p = 0.009; 95% CI, 1.15-3.90).

CONCLUSION

These results provide strong evidence for an inherited predisposition to sporadic, unilateral VS. This study exhibits the value of genealogical resources with linked medical data for examining hypotheses regarding inherited predisposition. The high-risk unilateral VS pedigrees identified in two independent resources provide a powerful means of pursuing predisposition gene identification.

Frailty in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Brain Tumors: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Emerging literature suggests that frailty may be an important driver of postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors. We systematically reviewed the literature on frailty in patients with brain tumor with respect to 3 questions: What methods of frailty assessment have been applied to patients with brain tumor? What thresholds have been defined to distinguish between different levels of frailty? What clinical outcomes does frailty predict in patients with brain tumor?

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Included studies were specific to patients with brain tumor, used a validated instrument to assess frailty, and measured the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 753 citations, 21 studies met our inclusion criteria. Frailty instruments were studied, in order of frequency reported, including the 5-factor modified frailty index, 11-factor modified frailty index, Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty-defining diagnosis indicator, and Hopkins Frailty Score. Multiple different conventions and thresholds were reported for distinguishing the levels of frailty. Clinical outcomes associated with frailty included mortality, survival, complications, length of stay, charges, costs, discharge disposition, readmissions, and operative time.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is an increasingly popular concept in patients with brain tumor that is associated with important clinical outcomes. However, the extant literature is largely comprised of retrospective studies with heterogeneous definitions of frailty, thresholds for defining levels of frailty, and patient populations. Further work is needed to understand best practices in assessing frailty in patients with brain tumor and applying these concepts to clinical practice.

Worse cranial neurosurgical outcomes predicted by increasing frailty in patients with interhospital transfer status: Analysis of 47,736 patients from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) 2015-2019

INTRODUCTION

With limited healthcare resources and risks associated with unwarranted interhospital transfers (IHT), it is important to select patients most likely to have improved outcomes with IHT. The present study analyzed the effect of IHT and frailty on postoperative outcomes in a large database of patients who underwent cranial neurosurgical operations.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried for patients who underwent cranial neurosurgical procedures (2015-2019, N = 47,736). Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcome variables were compared between IHT and n-IHT patients. Univariate and multivariable analyses analyzed the effect of IHT status on postoperative outcomes and the utility of frailty (modified frailty index-5 [mFI-5] stratified into "pre-frail, "frail", and "severely frail") as a preoperative risk factor. Effect sizes from regression analyses were presented as odds ratio (OR) with associated 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

RESULTS

Of 47,736 patients with cranial neurosurgical operations, 9612 (20.1%) were IHT. Patients with IHT were older, frailer, with a higher rate of functional dependence. In multivariable analysis adjusted for baseline covariates, IHT status was independent associated with 30-day mortality (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2-3.6), major complication (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1), extended hospital length of stay (eLOS) (OR: 3.8, 95% CI: 3.6-4.1), and non-routine discharge disposition (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.8-3.2) (all p < 0.05). Within the IHT cohort, increasing frailty ("pre-frail", "frail", "severely frail") was independently associated with increasing odds of 30-day mortality (OR: 1.4, 1.9, 3.9), major complication (OR: 1.4, 1.9, 3.3), unplanned readmission (OR: 1.1, 1.4, 2.1), reoperation (OR: 1.3, 1.5, 1.9), eLOS (OR: 1.2, 1.3, 1.5), and non-routine discharge (OR: 1.4, 1.9, 4.4) (all p < 0.05). All levels of frailty were more strongly associated with postoperative outcomes than chronological age.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel analysis suggests that patients transferred for cranial neurosurgery operations are significantly more likely to have worse postoperative health outcomes. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that frailty (as measured by mFI-5) is a powerful independent predictor of outcomes in transferred cranial neurosurgery patients. The findings support the use of frailty scoring in the pre-transfer and preoperative setting for patient counseling and risk stratification.

Association of Patient Frailty With Vestibular Schwannoma Resection Outcomes and Machine Learning Development of a Vestibular Schwannoma Risk Stratification Score

BACKGROUND

Patient frailty is predictive of higher neurosurgical morbidity and mortality. However, existing frailty measures are hindered by lack of specificity to neurosurgery.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association between 3 risk stratification scores and outcomes for nationwide vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection admissions and develop a custom VS risk stratification score.

METHODS

We identified all VS resection admissions in the National Inpatient Sample (2002-2017). Three risk stratification scores were analyzed: modified Frailty Index-5, modified Frailty Index-11(mFI-11), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Survey-weighted multivariate regression evaluated associations between frailty and inpatient outcomes, adjusting for patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and disease severity. Subsequently, we used k-fold cross validation and Akaike Information Criterion-based model selection to create a custom risk stratification score.

RESULTS

We analyzed 32 465 VS resection admissions. High frailty, as identified by the mFI-11 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, P = .021) and CCI (OR = 1.72, P < .001), predicted higher odds of perioperative complications. All 3 scores were also associated with lower routine discharge rates and elevated length of stay (LOS) and costs (all P < .05). Our custom VS-5 score (https://skullbaseresearch.shinyapps.io/vs-5_calculator/) featured 5 variables (age ≥60 years, hydrocephalus, preoperative cranial nerve palsies, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) and was predictive of higher mortality (OR = 6.40, P = .001), decreased routine hospital discharge (OR = 0.28, P < .001), and elevated complications (OR = 1.59, P < .001), LOS (+48%, P < .001), and costs (+23%, P = .001). The VS-5 outperformed the modified Frailty Index-5, mFI-11, and CCI in predicting routine discharge (all P < .001), including in a pseudoprospective cohort (2018-2019) of 3885 admissions.

CONCLUSION

Patient frailty predicted poorer inpatient outcomes after VS surgery. Our custom VS-5 score outperformed earlier risk stratification scores.

Analysis of readmissions data among frail and non-frail patients presenting for acoustic neuroma

The incidence of acoustic neuromas in the United States is 1.09 per 100,000 with 23,739 newly diagnosed cases in the years 2004 to 2010. Because the recent literature has supported that frailty can serve as a more accurate predictor of patient outcomes when evaluated with age, and is an important variable to consider in the course of patient treatment. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of frail patients who had undergone surgery for acoustic neuroma with their non-frail counterparts.The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of geriatric patients receiving cranial neurosurgery for acoustic neuroma between 2016 and 2017 by using the Nationwide Readmission Database. A total of 396 frail patients and 402 non-frail patients were identified through the database of undergoing surgery for acoustic neuroma. Frail patients had statistically higher rates of readmission (p < 0.01), post-operative infection (p < 0.01), facial paralysis (p < 0.01), urinary tract infection (p < 0.01), hydrocephalus (p < 0.01), and dysphagia (p < 0.01). These post-op morbidities likely led to the increased length of stay (p < 0.01), non-routine discharge (p < 0.01), and all payer cost seen in frail patients (p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was found between frail and non-frail patients with regards to CSF leak, post hemorrhagic anemia, myocardial infarction, and mortality. Patient frailty status is a significant predictor of poor outcomes in the postoperative sequelae of acoustic neuroma surgery. Further, models including patient frailty plus age outperformed those using age alone for prediction of several postoperative complications.

Comparative associations of baseline frailty status and age with postoperative mortality and duration of hospital stay following metastatic brain tumor resection

Metastatic brain tumors are the most common intracranial neoplasms diagnosed in the United States. Although baseline frailty status has been validated as a robust predictor of morbidity and mortality across various surgical disciplines, evidence within cranial neurosurgical oncology is limited. Adult metastatic brain tumor patients treated with resection were identified in the National Inpatient Sample during the period of 2015-2018. Frailty was quantified using the 11-point modified frailty index (mFI-11) and its association with clinical endpoints was evaluated through complex samples multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Among 13,650 metastatic brain tumor patients identified (mean age 62.8 years), 26.8% (n = 3665) were robust (mFI = 0), 31.4% (n = 4660) were pre-frail (mFI = 1), 23.2% (n = 3165) were frail (mFI = 2), and 15.8% (n = 2160) were severely frail (mFI ≥ 3). On univariable assessment, these cohorts stratified by increasing frailty were significantly associated with postoperative complications (13.6%, 15.9%, 23.9%, 26.4%; p < 0.001), mortality (1.2%, 1.4%, 2.7%, 3.2%; p = 0.028), and extended length of stay (eLOS) (15.7%, 22.5%, 28.9%, 37.7%; p < 0.001). Following multivariable logistic regression analysis, frailty (by mFI-11) was independently associated with postoperative mortality (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.08, 1.65) and eLOS (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.17, 1.37), while increasing age was not associated with these endpoints. ROC curve analysis demonstrated superior discrimination of frailty (by mFI-11) in comparison with age for both mortality (AUC 0.61 vs. 0.58) and eLOS (AUC 0.61 vs. 0.53). Further statistical assessment through propensity score adjustment and decision tree analysis confirmed and extended the findings of the primary analytical models. Frailty may be a more robust predictor of postoperative outcomes in comparison with age following metastatic brain tumor resection.

The Impact of Cochlear Implantation: Cognitive Function, Quality of Life, and Frailty in Older Adults

This review examines the relationship between cochlear implantation and cognition and quality of life in older adults, as well as how frailty affects outcomes for older patients with cochlear implants. A growing body of evidence suggests that there is a strong association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment. Preliminary studies suggest that cochlear implantation in older adults may be protective against cognitive decline. While studies have observed a positive impact of cochlear implantation on quality of life, currently it is unclear what factors contribute the most to improved quality of life. Frailty, as a measurement of general health, likely plays a role in complication rates and quality-of-life outcomes after cochlear implantation, though larger prospective studies are required to further elucidate this relationship.

Does Frailty or Age Increase the Risk of Postoperative Complications Following Cochlear Implantation?

Objective

To evaluate whether frailty or age increases the risk of postoperative complications following cochlear implant (CI) surgery.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary academic center.

Methods

An evaluation of all adult patients undergoing cochlear implantation between 2006 and 2020 was performed. The 5-item Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5, comprising preoperative history of pulmonary disease, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and partially/totally dependent functional status) was calculated for all patients included in analysis in addition to demographic characteristics. The primary outcome was postoperative complications following CI within a 3-month period. Major complications included myocardial infarction, bleeding, and cerebrospinal fluid leak, among others. Predictors of postoperative complications were examined using multivariable logistic regression reporting odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs.

Results

There were 520 patients included for review with a median age of 68 (range, 18-94) years and a slight male predominance (n = 283, 54.4%). There were 340 patients (65.4%) who were robust (nonfrail) with an mFI of 0, while 180 (34.6%) had an mFI of ≥1. There were 20 patients who experienced a postoperative complication (3.85%). There was no statistically significant association between postoperative complications as a result of preoperative frailty (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 0.98-2.48, P = .06) or age as a continuous variable (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97-1.02, P = .51).

Conclusions

CI is safe for elderly and frail patients and carries no additional risk of complications when compared to younger, healthier patients. While medical comorbidities should always be considered perioperatively, this study supports the notion that implantation is low risk in older, frail patients.

Surgical Outcomes After Conservative Resection of Vestibular Schwannoma in the Elderly

OBJECTIVE

To assess outcomes after surgery for vestibular schwannoma in patients over 70 years of age.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Two tertiary otology and neurotology centers.

PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

Patients undergoing primary surgery for vestibular schwannoma between 2007 and 2018.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Postoperative complications and surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 452 patients met inclusion criteria, 31 of whom (6.9%) were over 70 years of age. Age ranged from 18 to 90 years with a mean of 53 years. Elderly patients were more likely to have pre-existing hypertension (58.1% versus 34.0%, p = 0.007) and diabetes mellitus (19.4% versus 7.4%, p = 0.02). Elderly patients were less likely to undergo gross total resections of their tumors (35.5% versus 60.6%, p = 0.05) although they were not statistically significantly more likely to undergo subtotal (<95%) resections (25.8% versus 14.7%, p > 0.05). Elderly patients were also less likely to undergo second stage procedures (0% versus 9.5%, p = 0.04). There were no significant differences between elderly and non-elderly patients in the rates of any complications, ultimate facial nerve function, or duration of surgery. No patients over 70 years of age expired within 1 year of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative surgery for vestibular schwannoma in appropriately selected elderly patients is appropriate and safe, given adequate consideration to risk-benefit analysis and goals of care.

Association between modified frailty index and surgical outcomes in intradural skull base surgery

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of preoperative frailty on short-term outcomes following intradural resection of skull base lesions. The 2005-2017 ACS-NSQIP database was queried for 30-day post-operative outcomes of patients undergoing intradural resection of the skull base, extracted by CPT codes 61601, 61606, 61608, and 61616. Five-item modified frailty index (mFI) was calculated based on the history of diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, chronic hypertension, and functional status. A total of 701 patients (58.8% female, 72.0% white) were included with a mean age of 51.8 ± 14.7 years. Compared to patients with mFI = 0 (n = 403), patients with mFI ≥ 1 (n = 298) were more likely to have higher rates of reoperation (13.4% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.045), medical complications (20.5% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.001), surgical complications (13.8% vs. 8.4%, p = 0.024), discharge to non-home facility (DNHF) (24.8% vs. 13.3%, p < 0.001), and prolonged length of hospitalization (7.3 ± 6.8 days vs. 5.6 ± 5.0, p = 0.003). Moreover, mFI = 1-3 was also associated with higher BMI, non-white race, high ASA, and older age (all p < 0.05). Upon adjusting for age, BMI, race, ASA score, and surgical site, multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that higher mFI (treated as a continuous variable) was associated with higher odds of medical complications (OR = 1.630, CI = 1.153-2.308, p = 0.006), surgical complications (OR = 1.594, CI = 1.042-2.438, p < 0.031), and LOS ≥ 10 days (OR = 1.609, CI = 1.176-2.208, p = 0.003). In conclusion, the 5-item mFI can be an independent predictor of several important short-term surgical outcomes following intradural resection of skull base lesions, warranting further investigations into its clinical utility.

Associations of Baseline Frailty Status and Age With Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Vestibular Schwannoma Resection

Importance

Although numerous studies have evaluated the influence of advanced age on surgical outcomes following vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection, few if any large-scale investigations have assessed the comparative prognostic effects of age and frailty. As the population continues to age, it is imperative to further evaluate treatment and management strategies for older patients.

Objective

To conduct a population-based evaluation of the independent associations of chronological age and frailty (physiological age) with outcomes following VS resection.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this large-scale, multicenter, cross-sectional analysis, weighted discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample were searched to identify adult patients (≥18 years old) who underwent VS resection from 2002 through 2017 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Data collection and analysis took place September to December 2020.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Complex samples regression models and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to evaluate the independent associations of frailty and age (along with demographic confounders) with complications and discharge disposition. Frailty was evaluated using the previously validated 11-point modified frailty index (mFI).

Results

Among the 27 313 patients identified for VS resection, the mean (SEM) age was 50.4 (0.2) years, 15 031 (55.0%) were women, and 4720 (21.0%) were of non-White race/ethnicity, as determined by the National Inpatient Sample data source. Of the included patients, 15 090 (55.2%) were considered robust (mFI score = 0), 8204 (30.0%) were prefrail (mFI score = 1), 3022 (11.1%) were frail (mFI score = 2), and 996 (3.6%) were severely frail (mFI score ≥3). On univariable analysis, increasing frailty was associated with development of postoperative hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke (odds ratio [OR], 2.44 [95% CI, 2.07-2.87]; area under the curve, 0.73), while increasing age was not. Following multivariable analysis, increasing frailty and non-White race/ethnicity were independently associated with both mortality (adjusted OR [aOR], 2.32 [95% CI, 1.70-3.17], and aOR, 3.05 [95% CI, 1.02-9.12], respectively) and extended hospital stays (aOR, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.41-1.67], and aOR, 1.71 [95% CI, 1.42-2.05], respectively), while increasing age was not. Increasing frailty (aOR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.56-0.67]), age (aOR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.97-0.99]), and non-White race/ethnicity (aOR, 0.62 [95% CI 0.51-0.75]) were all independently associated with routine discharge.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional study, findings suggest that frailty may be more accurate for predicting outcomes and guiding treatment decisions than advanced patient age alone following VS resection.

Association Between 5-Item Modified Frailty Index and Short-term Outcomes in Complex Head and Neck Surgery

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of preoperative frailty on short-term outcomes following complex head and neck surgeries (HNSs).

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional database analysis.

SETTING

American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database.

METHODS

The 2005 to 2017 ACS-NSQIP was queried for patients undergoing complex HNS. Five-item modified frailty index (mFI) was calculated based on functional status and history of diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and chronic hypertension.

RESULTS

A total of 2786 patients (73.1% male) with a mean age of 62.0 ± 11.6 years were included. Compared to nonfrail patients (41.2%), patients with mFI ≥1 (58.8%) had shorter length of operation (P = .021), longer length of stay (LOS) (P < .001), and higher rates of 30-day reoperation (P = .009), medical complications (P < .001), discharge to nonhome facility (DNHF) (P < .001), and mortality (P = .047). These parameters remained statistically significant when compared across all individual mFI scores (all P < .05). After adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, smoking, and American Society of Anesthesiologists score via multivariate logistic regression, patients with mFI ≥1 were significantly more likely to undergo reoperation (odds ratio [OR], 1.39), surgical complications (OR, 1.19), medical complications (OR, 1.55), prolonged LOS (OR, 1.29), and DNHF (OR, 1.56) (all P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression also demonstrated that after adjusting for confounders, compared to patients with mFI = 1, patients with mFI = 2-5 (18.7%) were more likely to undergo shorter operations (OR, 0.74), have medical (OR, 1.46) or any complications (OR, 1.27), and have DNHF (OR, 1.62) (all P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The 5-point mFI can independently predict short-term surgical outcomes following complex HNS. This simple and reliable metric can potentially lead to improved preoperative counseling and postoperative planning for complex HNS patients.

Frailty and Quality of Life After Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship among frailty index, hearing measures, and hearing-related quality of life (QOL) in older recipients of cochlear implants.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Academic medical center.

METHODS

Adults aged ≥65 years at the time of receiving cochlear implants between July 13, 2000, and April 3, 2019, were asked to complete a questionnaire on hearing-related QOL. Chart review was performed to identify patients' characteristics. Correlations were calculated between frailty index and audiologic outcome measures as well as between speech recognition scores and QOL scores. Linear regression models were developed to examine the impact of clinical characteristics, frailty index, and hearing measures on hearing-related QOL.

RESULTS

Data for 143 respondents were included. The mean age was 80.7 years (SD, 7.1), with a mean 27.8 years of hearing loss (SD, 17.4) before implantation. The mean frailty index was 11.1 (SD, 10.6), indicating that patients had 1 or 2 of the measured comorbidities on average. No correlation was found between lower frailty index (better health) and hearing scores, including pure tone averages (PTAs) and speech recognition scores. Lower frailty index and larger improvement in PTA after cochlear implantation predicted better QOL scores on univariate analysis (respectively, P = .002, β = -0.42 [95% CI, -0.68 to -0.16]; P = .008, β = -0.15 [95% CI, -0.26 to -0.04]) and multivariate analysis (P = .047, β = -0.28 [95% CI, -0.55 to -0.01]; P = .006, β = -0.16 [95% CI, -0.28 to -0.05]). No speech recognition scores correlated with QOL after cochlear implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty index does not correlate with hearing scores after cochlear implantation in older adults. Lower frailty index and more improvement in PTA predict better QOL scores after cochlear implantation in older adults.