Preoperative CONUT score predicts postoperative complications in stage I-III gastric cancer patients undergoing...

The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, calculated using serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte count, is an effective predictor of post-operative complications (PC) following oncologic resections in gastrointestinal system cancers. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the impact of pre-operative CONUT scores on overall post-operative complications (OPC) in patients with stage I-III gastric cancer (GC) who underwent gastrectomy.

Patients who underwent curative gastric resection for GC between January 2013 and December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with a preoperative CONUT score of 0-1 were classified as the normal CONUT group. In contrast, those with a score of 2 or higher were classified as the high CONUT group. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were reviewed. Risk factors for the development of OPC were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses.

In the high CONUT group, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, lymphatic invasion rates, TNM stages, duration of intensive care unit stay, OPC rates, and comprehensive complication index values were significantly higher (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced TNM stage [odds ratio (OR): 5.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-24.6, p=0.016] and a high CONUT score (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.3-13.0, p=0.014) were independent risk factors for the development of PC.

Pre-operative CONUT score may serve as a predictor of OPC following curative GC resections.