Association of metabolic syndrome and frailty with postoperative complications in older gastric cancer patients: A body composition perspective
Authors: Jiang Xiaoman , Ding Lingyu , Guo Yinning , Miao Xueyi , Zhao Kang , Chen Li , Zhu Shuqin , Xu Xinyi , Xu Qin 
Published: September 2024

Objectives

To compare the characteristics of body compositions between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and frailty, and determine the independent and overlapping of MetS and frailty with postoperative complications among older patients with gastric cancer.

Design

A prospectively observational study.

Setting and Participants

Two hundred and eighty six older patients from 60 to 80 years undergoing radical gastrectomy for the first time.

Measurements

MetS was diagnosed by the criteria from the 2020 edition of Chinese guideline for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and frailty was defined by frailty phenotype. An InBody770 impedance analyzer was used to measure body compositions and with 10 fat‐ and muscle‐related indicators being included in this study. Based on the presence of frailty and MetS, patients were divided into the frailty group, MetS group, frailty+MetS group, and normal group, and the body compositions indicators of these groups were compared. Clavien–Dindo classification was used to grade the severity of postoperative complications. Univariate and multivariate regression models were performed to explore the independent and joint association of MetS and frailty with postoperative complications.

Results

The incidence rate of MetS, frailty, and frailty+MetS being 20.3%, 15.7%, and 4.2% respectively. Compared with the normal group, both fat and muscle compositions were decreased significantly in the frailty group (p < 0.05), while the statistically significant difference of fat‐to‐muscle mass ratio (FMR) and skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR) were not observed (p > 0.05). In contrast, except SVR, the other indicators of the MetS group were higher than the normal group (p < 0.05). As to the frailty+MetS group, there was a significant increase in fat compositions and FMR, as well as a significant decline in SVR (p < 0.05), while the difference of muscle compositions was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was an association of frailty with postoperative total (OR = 3.068, 95% CI: 1.402–6.713) and severe (OR = 9.423, 95% CI: 2.725–32.589) complications, but no association was found of MetS alone. MetS coexisting with frailty was associated with the highest risk of both total (OR = 3.852, 95% CI: 1.020–14.539) and severe (OR = 12.096, 95% CI: 2.183–67.024) complications.

Conclusions

Both frailty and MetS coexisting with frailty had adverse effects on postoperative complications, which appeared greatly different characteristics in body compositions and therefore reinforced the importance of targeted nutritional or metabolic intervention. Although MetS alone were not significantly associated with postoperative complications, it is essential to focus on the causal relationship and development trend between MetS and frailty to prevent MetS from shifting into frailty, considering the highest risk in their coexistence state.