An Algorithm to Stratify the Risk of Postoperative Emotional Distress in Cancer Patients with Advanced Metastatic Spinal Disease

We wish (1) to assess what variables are significantly associated with postoperative emotional distress in patients with the metastatic spinal disease after surgery and (2) to develop and validate an algorithm to stratify patients at risk of postoperative emotional distress.

We retrospectively enrolled 171 patients with the metastatic spinal disease treated with surgery. Twelve potential variables were used to analyze postoperative emotional distress. Postoperative emotional well-being was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS). Significant variables were included in the algorithm and assigned scores based on odds ratios (ORs) from the multiple logistic regression analysis. The predictive performance of the risk algorithm was validated on the basis of discrimination and calibration.

Twenty-six (15.20%) patients had a HADS of 19 points or more. Of all the 12 variables, age (P=0.06), marital status (P=0.02), primary cancer types (P=0.004), and physical well-being (P=0.006) were included in the algorithm. This algorithm ranged from 0 to 24. Higher scores represented higher rates of postoperative emotional distress. Patients were stratified into three risk groups: patients in the group A had scores of 0 to 9 and the rate of postoperative emotional distress was only 1.14%, patient in the group B had scores of 10 to 15 and the rate of postoperative emotional distress was 21.31%, and patient in the group C had scores of 16 to 24 and the rate of postoperative emotional distress was up to 54.55%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for the algorithm was 0.84, and the correct classification rate was 81.3%.

Postoperative emotional distress is common in patients with the metastatic spinal disease after surgery. We propose and validate an algorithm that can be used as a potential screening tool to identify patients at high risk of postoperative emotional distress.