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Can modified frailty index predict postoperative complication after lung cancer surgery?

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Abstract

Purpose

The impact of the modified frailty index (mFI) on postoperative complications after lung cancer surgery was investigated.

Methods

Patients who underwent lung cancer surgery in 2017 were included. 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity were evaluated according to their Clavien–Dindo classification. mFI values are presented as the sum of values of 11 included items. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of mFI on postoperative severe complication incidence.

Results

Among 190 patients considered, severe postoperative complications (Grade 3 or more) were observed in 30 (16%). No patients died within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of severe complications was 3.6% in patients with mFI of 0, 16.2% in patients with mFI of 1, 23.4% in patients with mFI of 2, and 31.6% in patients with mFI of 3 or more, and was correlated with the grade of mFI. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the high mFI was significantly predictive of postoperative complications. Frail patients of mFI ≥ 2 were at 3.0-fold greater risk of severe complications than non-frail patients of mFI 0 or 1.

Conclusion

mFI was associated with morbidity after lung cancer surgery. Preoperative frailty assessment and appropriate intervention to frail patients would be required to improve postoperative outcomes.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing. The authors have nothing to disclose regarding the sources of funding for this study.

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Correspondence to Hidemi Suzuki.

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Wada, H., Suzuki, H., Sakairi, Y. et al. Can modified frailty index predict postoperative complication after lung cancer surgery?. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 72, 176–182 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-023-01962-3

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