The significance of comorbidity burden among older patients undergoing abdominal emergency or elective surgery

Comorbidities may cause complications in perioperative care and affect treatment outcomes of older patients. The study aim was to analyse comorbidity burdens with respect to their predictive power in outcome prediction in elderly qualified for abdominal elective or emergency surgery.

Consecutive patients undergoing major abdominal surgery between 2010 and 2017 at a secondary referral hospital were included in the retrospective study, for a total of 1586 patients. To explain the relationship between the comorbidity types and 30-day mortality and morbidity logistic regression analysis was performed. Morbidity was assessed using the Clavien-Dindo Score. Major complications were defined as a C-D score ≥ 3. We also presented the data concerning need for reoperation and ICU admission.

85.9% of patients had at least one comorbidity. In the group of emergency patients age and number of comorbidities were independent risk factors of 30-day mortality and major morbidity. In elective patients age, dementia (OR:3.52; 95%CI:1.35-9.20) and kidney disease (OR:1.64; 95%CI:1.04-2.57) were found to be independent risk factors of 30-day postoperative mortality. Age (1.04; 95%CI:1.00-1.08) and heart disease (OR:1.30, 95%CI:1.04-1.63) were found to be independent risk factors of 30-day major morbidity.

In patients undergoing elective surgery 30-day mortality and morbidity was associated with age. 30-day mortality, but not morbidity was associated with kidney disease and dementia. 30-day morbidity, but not mortality, was associated with heart disease.