Postoperative decrease of serum albumin predicts short-term complications in patients undergoing gastric cancer...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Oncology
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Postoperative complications following gastrectomy significantly impact patient outcomes.
• Accurate prediction of these complications is crucial for timely intervention and improved patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a simple and accurate predictor for short-term postoperative complications after gastrectomy.
• To evaluate the efficacy of serum albumin decrease as a predictive marker.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 223 patients undergoing gastric cancer resection was analyzed.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses identified risk factors, with receiver operating characteristic curves determining diagnostic accuracy.
• Postoperative decrease in serum albumin (∆ALB) was assessed as a predictor.

Main Results:

• Short-term complications occurred in 27.8% of patients.
• A postoperative ∆ALB ≥ 14.0% was an independent risk factor (OR = 17.957, P < 0.001), demonstrating higher accuracy than C-reactive protein.
• Patients with ∆ALB ≥ 14.0% experienced higher complication rates, prolonged hospital stays, and increased comprehensive complication index.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative ∆ALB ≥ 14.0% is a reliable and simple predictor for short-term complications after gastric cancer resection.
• This finding facilitates early identification of high-risk patients, enabling proactive management strategies.