P281 - MALNUTRITION IS A STRONGER PREDICTOR OF SHORT-TERM SEVERE SURGICAL COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR GASTRIC AND COLORECTAL CANCER

P281

MALNUTRITION IS A STRONGER PREDICTOR OF SHORT-TERM SEVERE SURGICAL COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR GASTRIC AND COLORECTAL CANCER

M. V. L. de Oliveira¹, J. P. Costa-Pereira², A. D. S. Rebouças^1,3, A. L. Miranda^1,3, A. P. T. Fayh^4,*

¹Liga Norteriograndense Contra o Câncer, ²Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, ³Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, ⁴Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Rationale: Preoperative malnutrition poses a significant challenge for patients undergoing treatment for gastric and colorectal cancer, as it is associated with increased postoperative complications and morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate which nutrition-related factors best predict postoperative complications in patients with gastric and colorectal cancer. 

Methods: Prospective cohort study, including patients undergoing surgical resection of gastric and colorectal tumors. Nutritional status was evaluated using anthropometric measures and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Handgrip strength (HGS) and the SARC-F questionnaire assessed suggestive signs of sarcopenia. Postoperative outcomes included complications within 30 days of surgery classified as grade III or higher according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, and hospital readmissions. 

Results: A total of 99 patients were analyzed (53.5% male; mean age 60.5 ± 12.8 years). Malnutrition (PG-SGA category B or C) was identified in 45.5% of patients, and 17.2% had low HGS. Postoperative complications occurred in 16.2% of patients, while hospital readmissions occurred in 17.2%. Malnourished patients had 4.5 times higher odds of developing severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III), but no significant association was found with hospital readmissions. In contrast, low HGS was associated with 5.04 times higher odds of hospital readmission, but not with postoperative complications. SARC-F scores were not significantly associated with either outcome. 

Conclusion: Malnutrition identified by the PG-SGA was the most relevant predictor of severe surgical complications when compared to sarcopenia-related indicators. These findings reinforce the importance of comprehensive nutritional assessment during the perioperative period.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared