Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is a useful predictive tool for postoperative delirium after gastrointestinal surgery in old-old adults

Preoperative cognitive function as a risk factor of postoperative delirium in cancer surgeries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Postoperative delirium (POD) after cancer surgeries can be a result of chemo brain, anesthesia, surgery duration, and preoperative cognitive impairment. Although older age and preoperative cognitive dysfunction were reported to increase the risk of POD in noncardiac surgery, the role of preoperative cognitive function and age in the development of POD after all types of cancer surgeries is not clear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between preoperative cognitive function and likelihood of POD after cancer surgeries. This study used three main online databases and followed PRISMA guidelines. English language original articles that examined preoperative cognitive function before solid tumor cancer surgery and assessed patients for postoperative delirium were included. We employed the random effect meta-analysis method. The overall incidence of POD ranged from 8.7% to 50.9%. The confusion assessment method was the most common tool used to assess delirium. Mini-mental state evaluation (MMSE), Mini-cog, and Montreal cognitive assessment were the most common tools to assess cognitive function. The pooled (total observation = 4676) random effects SMD was estimated at -0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.30 to -0.31), indicating that lower MMSE scores before surgery are associated with a higher risk of POD. The pooled (total observation = 2668) random effects OR was estimated at 5.17 (95% CI: 2.51 to -10.63), indicating preoperative cognitive dysfunction can significantly predict the occurrence of POD after cancer surgeries. In conclusion, preoperative cognitive function is an independent and significant predictor of POD after solid tumor cancer surgeries.

Perioperative mental health intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults study protocol: design and methods for three linked randomised controlled trials

INTRODUCTION

Preoperative anxiety and depression symptoms among older surgical patients are associated with poor postoperative outcomes, yet evidence-based interventions for anxiety and depression have not been applied within this setting. We present a protocol for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in three surgical cohorts: cardiac, oncological and orthopaedic, investigating whether a perioperative mental health intervention, with psychological and pharmacological components, reduces perioperative symptoms of depression and anxiety in older surgical patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Adults ≥60 years undergoing cardiac, orthopaedic or oncological surgery will be enrolled in one of three-linked type 1 hybrid effectiveness/implementation RCTs that will be conducted in tandem with similar methods. In each trial, 100 participants will be randomised to a remotely delivered perioperative behavioural treatment incorporating principles of behavioural activation, compassion and care coordination, and medication optimisation, or enhanced usual care with mental health-related resources for this population. The primary outcome is change in depression and anxiety symptoms assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety Depression Scale from baseline to 3 months post surgery. Other outcomes include quality of life, delirium, length of stay, falls, rehospitalisation, pain and implementation outcomes, including study and intervention reach, acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness, and patient experience with the intervention.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The trials have received ethics approval from the Washington University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Informed consent is required for participation in the trials. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals, presented at clinical research conferences and disseminated via the Center for Perioperative Mental Health website.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS

NCT05575128, NCT05685511, NCT05697835, pre-results.

Knee Extensor Weakness Potently Predicts Postoperative Outcomes in Older Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVES

Muscle weakness, assessed by grip strength, has been shown to predict postoperative mortality in older patients with cancer. Because lower extremity muscle strength well reflects physical performance, we examined whether lower knee extension muscle strength predicts postoperative mortality better than grip strength in older patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study in a single institution.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A total of 813 patients (79.0 ± 4.2 years, 66.5% male) aged 65 years or older with gastrointestinal cancer who underwent preoperative evaluation of grip strength and isometric knee extension muscle strength between April 2012 and April 2019 were included.

METHODS

The study participants were prospectively followed up for postoperative mortality. Muscle weakness was defined as the lowest quartile of grip strength or knee extension strength (GS-muscle weakness and KS-muscle weakness, respectively).

RESULTS

Among the study participants, 176 patients died during a median follow-up of 716 days. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, we found that patients with both GS-muscle weakness and KS-muscle weakness had a lower survival rate than those without muscle weakness. As expected, higher clinical stages and abdominal and thoracic surgeries compared with endoscopic surgery were associated with increased all-cause mortality. In addition, we found that KS-muscle weakness, but not GS-muscle weakness, was an independent prognostic factor after adjusting for sex, body mass index, cancer stage, surgical technique, and surgical site in the Cox proportional hazard model.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

In older patients with gastrointestinal cancer, muscle weakness based on knee extension muscle strength can be a better predictor of postoperative prognosis than muscle weakness based on grip strength.

Incidence of delirium in older people with cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Delirium is a prevalent neuropsychiatric syndrome in older people with cancer. However, there are no meta-analyses assessing its incidence exclusively in this population. This study aims to assess the incidence proportion of delirium in older people with cancer in the hospital area.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out. MEDLINE, Scopus, and EBSCO were searched from inception to December 2021. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Inclusion criteria were original peer-reviewed studies with experimental (randomised controlled trials), observational, and cross-sectional designs assessing delirium older inpatients (≥65 years) with oncological diseases in medical and post-surgical hospital areas and using validated screening or diagnostic methods. A web-based system was used to manage the screening process. Study quality was assessed with Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. The statistical analysis was performed in RevMan v5.4.0 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK), using a random-effects model to calculate incidence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Based on 37 included articles, the incidence proportion of delirium ranged from 3.8% to 61.4%, in a total of 11,847 older patients with cancer. Meta-analysis showed a pooled incidence of 22.6% (95% confidence interval 18.5%, 26.7%; I2 = 97%, p < 0.001). The main tools for detection were the Diagnostic Statistical Manual criteria and the Confusion Assessment Methods scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence proportion of delirium in older inpatients with cancer is 22.6%. Incidence in the medical setting was higher than in the post-surgical areas. There is a need for high-quality studies examining delirium in older people with cancer.

Impact of Prehabilitation on Postoperative Mortality and the Need for Non-Home Discharge in High-Risk Surgical Patients

BACKGROUND

The preoperative period is an important target for interventions (eg Surgical Prehabilitation and Readiness [SPAR]) that can improve postoperative outcomes for older patients with comorbidities.

STUDY DESIGN

To determine whether a preoperative multidisciplinary prehabilitation program (SPAR) reduces postoperative 30-day mortality and the need for non-home discharge in high-risk surgical patients, surgical patients enrolled in a prehabilitation program targeting physical activity, pulmonary function, nutrition, and mindfulness were compared with historical control patients from 1 institution's American College of Surgeons (ACS) NSQIP database. SPAR patients were propensity score-matched 1:3 to pre-SPAR NSQIP patients, and their outcomes were compared. The ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator was used to compare observed-to-expected ratios for postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 246 patients were enrolled in SPAR. A 6-month compliance audit revealed that overall patient adherence to the SPAR program was 89%. At the time of analysis, 118 SPAR patients underwent surgery with 30 days of follow-up. Compared with pre-SPAR NSQIP patients (n = 4,028), SPAR patients were significantly older with worse functional status and more comorbidities. Compared with propensity score-matched pre-SPAR NSQIP patients, SPAR patients had significantly decreased 30-day mortality (0% vs 4.1%, p = 0.036) and decreased need for discharge to postacute care facilities (6.5% vs 15.9%, p = 0.014). Similarly, SPAR patients exhibited decreased observed 30-day mortality (observed-to-expected ratio 0.41) and need for discharge to a facility (observed-to-expected ratio 0.56) compared with their expected outcomes using the ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator.

CONCLUSIONS

The SPAR program is safe and feasible and may reduce postoperative mortality and the need for discharge to postacute care facilities in high-risk surgical patients.

Preoperative Risk Factors Associated with Increased Incidence of Postoperative Delirium: Systematic Review of Qualified Clinical Studies

Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute alteration of mental state, characterized by reduced awareness and attention, occurring up to five postoperative days after recovery from anesthesia. Several original studies and reviews have identified possible perioperative POD risk factors; however, there is no comprehensive review of the preoperative risk factors in patients diagnosed with POD using only validated diagnostic scales. The aim of this systematic review was to report the preoperative risk factors associated with an increased incidence of POD in patients undergoing non-cardiac and non-brain surgery. The reviewed studies included original research papers that used at least one validated diagnostic scale to identify POD occurrence for more than 24 h. A total of 6475 references were retrieved from the database search, with only 260 of them being suitable for further review. Out of the 260 reviewed studies, only 165 that used a validated POD scale reported one or more preoperative risk factors. Forty-one risk factors were identified, with various levels of statistical significance. The extracted risk factors could serve as a preoperative POD risk assessment workup. Future studies dedicated to the further evaluation of the specific preoperative risk factors' contributions to POD could help with the development of a weighted screening tool.

Preoperative Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Predicts Postoperative Risk in Older Patients with Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Preoperative risk assessment is important in older patients because they often have comorbidities and impaired organ function. We performed preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for older patients with esophageal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 217 patients over 75 years old who underwent esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer were analyzed. The CGA was performed preoperatively and included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Score (GDS), vitality index, Barthel index, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). We defined the robust group as patients with normal function on every instrument, and the pre-frail and frail groups as those with functional impairment on one instrument or two or more instruments, respectively. We assessed how the CGA correlated with postoperative complications and prognosis.

RESULTS

Of the 217 patients, 86 (39.6%) were in the robust group, 68 (31.3%) in the pre-frail group, and 63 (29.0%) in the frail group. Postoperative pneumonia (P = 0.026) and anastomotic leakage (P = 0.032) were significantly more common in the frail group. The frail group had a significantly longer postoperative hospitalization period (P = 0.016) and significantly lower rate of discharge to home (P = 0.016). Overall survival (OS) was significantly worse in the frail group (5-year overall survival rate, frail group versus others, 37.8% versus 52.0%, P = 0.046), but it was not significant on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative CGA in older patients with esophageal cancer was associated with risk of postoperative complications.

4,300 steps per day prior to surgery are associated with improved outcomes after pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND

Decreased preoperative physical fitness and low physical activity have been associated with preoperative functional reserve and surgical complications. We sought to evaluate daily step count as a measure of physical activity and its relationship with post-pancreatectomy outcomes.

METHODS

Patients undergoing pancreatectomy were given a remote telemonitoring device to measure their preoperative levels of physical activity. Patient activity, demographics, and perioperative outcomes were collected and compared in univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

73 patients were included. 45 (61.6%) patients developed complications, with 17 (23.3%) of those patients developing severe complications. These patients walked 3437.8 (SD 1976.7) average daily steps, compared to 5918.8 (SD 2851.1) in patients without severe complications (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analysis, patients who walked less than 4274.5 steps had significantly higher odds of severe complications (OR = 7.5 (CI 2.1, 26.8), p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Average daily steps below 4274.5 before surgery are associated with severe complications after pancreatectomy. Preoperative physical activity levels may represent a modifiable target for prehabilitation protocols.

Recipe for primary prevention of delirium in hospitalized older patients

Delirium is an acute fluctuating syndrome characterized by a change in consciousness, perception, orientation, cognition, sleep-wake rhythm, psychomotor skills, and the mood and feelings of a patient. Delirium and delirium prevention remain a challenge for healthcare professionals, especially nurses who form the basis of patient care. It also causes distress for patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals. However, delirium is preventable in 30-40% of cases. The aim of this article is to summarize the delirium risk models, delirium screening tools, and (non-pharmacological) delirium prevention strategies. A literature search of review articles supplemented by original articles published in PubMed, Cinahl, and Cochrane between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2020 was carried out. Among the older patients, delirium is a common condition with major consequences in terms of mortality and morbidity, but prevention is possible. Despite the fact that delirium risk models, delirium screening scales and non-pharmacological prevention are available for the development of a hospital delirium prevention programme, such a programme is still not commonly used on a daily basis.

Grip strength as a predictor of postoperative delirium in patients with colorectal cancers

Background

The population is aging rapidly, and the population of patients who undergo surgeries is aging, too. Elderly patients have much risk of postoperative delirium, which increases the number of adverse events. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors of postoperative delirium in elderly patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive patients aged 70 years and older who underwent surgeries for colorectal cancer at our department in the period from May 2012 to October 2019. We investigated the correlation between the incidence of postoperative delirium and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) scores, comorbidities, and perioperative factors. Postoperative delirium was retrospectively diagnosed by checking clinical records.

Results

Postoperative delirium was diagnosed in 36 of 271 patients (13.3%) with colorectal cancer. Among many comorbidities, only renal disease was significantly associated with postoperative delirium. Among the items in the CGA, age; Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Barthel Index, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Vitality Index, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scores; and grip strength were associated with postoperative delirium. Among perioperative factors, blood transfusion was associated with postoperative delirium. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified older age, MMSE, GDS, and grip strength as significant independent risk factors for postoperative delirium.

Conclusions

This single-center retrospective observational study demonstrated that grip strength is an independent predictor of postoperative delirium, along with age, MMSE, and GDS.

The assessment of risk factors for postoperative delirium using cubic spline curves in gastroenterological surgery

PURPOSE

Delirium is associated with longer hospital stays and increased medical costs and mortality. This study explored the risk factors for postoperative delirium in gastroenterological surgery and investigated the association between qualitative changes in risk factors and the incidence of postoperative delirium.

METHODS

A total of 418 patients > 18 years old who underwent gastroenterological surgery at our department between April 2018 and September 2019 were included. Risk factors were identified by comparing patients with and without postoperative delirium. Continuous variables were evaluated graphically using cubic spline curves. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess independent risk factors.

RESULTS

The incidence of postoperative delirium was 6.9%. The cubic spline curve showed that the incidence of postoperative delirium began to increase at 50 years old and increased sharply at 70 years old. A multiple logistic regression analysis of patients > 50 years old identified 5 risk factors: age ≥ 70 years, preoperative serum albumin ≤ 3.8 g/dL, psychosis, sedative-hypnotics, and intensive-care unit admission.

CONCLUSION

The risk of postoperative delirium increases progressively at 50 years old and sharply at 70 years old. Advanced age, preoperative hypoalbuminemia, psychosis, sedative-hypnotics, and intensive-care unit admission are risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients > 50 years old undergoing gastroenterological surgery.

Incidence and predictors of postoperative delirium in the older acute care surgery population: a prospective study

Background

Among older inpatients, the highest incidence of delirium is within the surgical population. Limited data are available regarding postoperative delirium risk in the acute care surgical population. The purpose of our study was to establish the incidence of and risk factors for delirium in an older acute care surgery population.

Methods

Patients aged 65 years or more who had undergone acute care surgery between April 2014 and September 2015 at 2 university-affiliated hospitals in Alberta were followed prospectively and screened for delirium by means of a validated chart review method. Delirium duration was recorded. We used separate multivariable logistic regression models to identify independent predictors for overall delirium and longer episodes of delirium (duration ≥ 48 h).

Results

Of the 322 patients included, 73 (22.7%) were identified as having experienced delirium, with 49 (15.2%) experiencing longer episodes of delirium. Postoperative delirium risk factors included Foley catheter use, intestinal surgery, gallbladder surgery, appendix surgery, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mild to moderate frailty. Risk factors for prolonged postoperative delirium included Foley catheter use and mild to moderate frailty. Surgical approach (open v. laparoscopic) and overall operative time were not found to be significant.

Conclusion

In keeping with the literature, our study identified Foley catheter use, frailty and ICU admission as risk factors for delirium in older acute care surgical patients. We also identified an association between delirium risk and the specific surgical procedure performed. Understanding these risk factors can assist in prevention and directed interventions for this high-risk population.

Development of a Geriatric Prognostic Scoring System for Predicting Survival After Surgery for Elderly Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The number of elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer is rising as the population ages. This study aimed to assess the impact of a preoperative geriatric assessment on postoperative survival and to develop a geriatric prognostic scoring system (GPSS) for elderly patients.

METHODS

Patients (n = 544) age 75 years or older who had undergone radical surgery for gastrointestinal cancer were recruited for this observational study. Geriatric assessments (GAs) using the Barthel Index, the Mini-Mental State Examination, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, the Vitality Index, and the Geriatric Depression Score were administered before surgery. Multivariable analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazard regression model to identify significant prognostic factors. The GPSS was developed using regression coefficients of the multivariable regression to predict overall survival (OS). Thereafter, 165 consecutive patients were prospectively validated to test the authors' model.

RESULTS

The independent predictors of OS appeared to be GA as well as age, type of cancer, clinical stage, performance status, and body mass index. The patients were classified into high- and low-risk groups according to the GPSS. The overall 3-year survival was 79% in the low-risk group and 26% in the high-risk group (hazard ratio [HR], 5.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.35-7.42; p < 0.0001). Furthermore, when GPSS was applied to independent cohorts, the patients in the high-risk group showed significantly poorer prognoses than those in the low-risk group (HR, 4.49; 95% CI 2.65-7.60; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Geriatric assessments were closely associated with postoperative OS. The GPSS is useful in predicting postoperative prognosis and may help determine treatment strategies for elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment as a Versatile Tool to Enhance the Care of the Older Person Diagnosed with Cancer

The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a versatile tool for the care of the older person diagnosed with cancer. The purpose of this article is to detail how a CGA can be tailored to Ambulatory Geriatric Oncology Programs (AGOPs) in academic cancer centers and to community oncology practices with varying levels of resources. The Society for International Oncology in Geriatrics (SIOG) recommends CGA as a foundation for treatment planning and decision-making for the older person receiving care for a malignancy. A CGA is often administered by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) composed of professionals who provide geriatric-focused cancer care. CGA can be used as a one-time consult for surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy providers to predict treatment tolerance or as an ongoing part of patient care to manage malignant and non-malignant issues. Administrative support and proactive infrastructure planning to address scheduling, referrals, and provider communication are critical to the effectiveness of the CGA.

Prediction of postoperative delirium by comprehensive geriatric assessment among elderly patients with hip fracture

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) would predict postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients with hip fracture.

METHODS

This is an observational study, performed in a tertiary hospital from June 2014 to May 2018, which enrolled patients with hip fracture aged over 65 years. The comprehensive geriatric assessment for recruited patients was carried out before surgery. POD was recorded prospectively until discharge. Delirium was diagnosed according to the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) algorithm.

RESULTS

POD occurred in 22.09% of the 507 patients who underwent hip surgery. The Barthel index, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), vitality index, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) results were related to the occurrence of POD. All of them were independent factors related to the occurrence of POD after adjusting other traditional risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The comprehensive geriatric assessment before hip fracture surgery can predict the occurrence of POD in elderly patients.

Functional capacity as a predictor of postoperative delirium in transurethral resection of prostate patients in Northeast Brazil

INTRODUCTION

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common disorder and its frequency varies from 15% to 25% after major elective surgery. There are few data on the incidence of POD in Brazil. Here, we sought to assess the incidence of POD following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and to examine precipitating and predisposing factors associated.

METHOD

We performed a prospective observational study of elderly male patients undergoing TURP (N=55) in Northeast Brazil. Information on demographic, medical, cognitive and functional characteristics were collected. The participants were followed until hospital discharge. POD was diagnosed by the Confusion Assessment Method.

RESULTS

A total of three participants (5.45%) were identified with POD. Episodes of delirium lasted 3±1 days. The study sample consisted of a healthy population. Patients with POD had longer hospital stay and more precipitating factors. The POD group showed statistically significant lower Barthel index score (p<0.001) and higher Pfeffer's Functional Activities Questionnaire scores (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Loss of functional capacity was associated with POD in a healthy population of elderly patients undergoing TURP.

Systematic review of prediction models for delirium in the older adult inpatient

OBJECTIVE

To identify existing prognostic delirium prediction models and evaluate their validity and statistical methodology in the older adult (≥60 years) acute hospital population.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES AND METHODS

PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, SocINFO, Cochrane, Web of Science and Embase were searched from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2016. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and CHARMS Statement guided protocol development.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

age >60 years, inpatient, developed/validated a prognostic delirium prediction model.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

alcohol-related delirium, sample size ≤50. The primary performance measures were calibration and discrimination statistics. Two authors independently conducted search and extracted data. The synthesis of data was done by the first author. Disagreement was resolved by the mentoring author.

RESULTS

The initial search resulted in 7,502 studies. Following full-text review of 192 studies, 33 were excluded based on age criteria (<60 years) and 27 met the defined criteria. Twenty-three delirium prediction models were identified, 14 were externally validated and 3 were internally validated. The following populations were represented: 11 medical, 3 medical/surgical and 13 surgical. The assessment of delirium was often non-systematic, resulting in varied incidence. Fourteen models were externally validated with an area under the receiver operating curve range from 0.52 to 0.94. Limitations in design, data collection methods and model metric reporting statistics were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

Delirium prediction models for older adults show variable and typically inadequate predictive capabilities. Our review highlights the need for development of robust models to predict delirium in older inpatients. We provide recommendations for the development of such models.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment prediction of postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients: a meta-analysis

Background

Gastrointestinal cancer is an age-associated disease, and geriatric patients are mostly likely to suffer from postoperative complications. Some studies indicated that comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) could predict postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients. However, the evidence is mixed.

Objective

This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to identify the effectiveness of CGA for predicting postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Methods

The Joanna Briggs Institute Library, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL Complete and four Chinese databases were searched for studies published up to March 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. RevMan5.3 was used for meta-analysis or only descriptive analysis.

Results

Six studies were included, with 1,037 participants in total. In all, 13 components of CGA were identified, among which comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] ≥3; odds ratio [OR]=1.31, 95% CI [1.06, 1.63], P=0.01), polypharmacy (≥5 drugs/day; OR=1.30, 95% CI [1.04, 1.61], P=0.02) and activities of daily living (ADL) dependency (OR=1.69, 95% CI [1.20, 2.38], P=0.003) were proven relevant to the prediction of postoperative complications. No conclusive relationship was established between instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) dependency (OR=1.18, 95% CI [0.73, 1.91], P=0.51), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; OR=1.13, 95% CI [0.91, 1.41], P=0.27), potential malnutrition (OR=1.07, 95% CI [0.87, 1.31], P=0.54), malnutrition (OR=1.26, 95% CI [0.80, 1.99], P=0.32), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS; OR=1.18, 95% CI [0.90, 1.55], P=0.24) and postoperative complications.

Conclusion

Comorbidity (CCI ≥3), polypharmacy (≥5 drugs/day) and ADL dependency were predictive factors for postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients; the results of other geriatric instruments were not conclusive, pointing to insufficient studies and requirement of more original investigations.

Association of functional status and treatment choice among older men with prostate cancer in the Medicare Advantage population

BACKGROUND

There are several effective treatments for prostate cancer. To what extent a patient's functional status influences the treatment decision is unknown. This study examined the association between functional status and treatment among older men with prostate cancer.

METHODS

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey data were used to identify men who were 65 years old or older and were diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1998 and 2009. The primary outcome was treatment choice: conservative management, surgery, or radiation within 1 year of the diagnosis. The exposure was the functional status assessed as 4 measures within 3 domains: 1) physical function (activities of daily living [ADLs] and physical component summary score), 2) cognitive function (survey completer: self vs proxy), and 3) emotional well-being (mental component summary score). A multivariate, multinomial logistic regression was fitted with adjustments for several patient, tumor, and regional characteristics.

RESULTS

This study identified 508 conservative management patients, 195 surgery patients, and 603 radiation patients. Compared with men with no ADL dependency, those with any ADL dependency had lower odds of receiving surgery (odds ratio [OR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.99) or radiation (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.43-0.78) versus conservative management. ADL dependency did not differ when surgery and radiation were compared. Patients with a proxy survey response were less likely to receive surgery or radiation versus conservative management.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional status is associated with treatment choice for men with prostate cancer. Future research should examine whether this is due to physician recommendations, patient preferences, or a combination. Cancer 2016;122:3199-206. © 2016 American Cancer Society.