Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of preoperative sarcopenia on the incidence of postoperative complications, physical function changes, and quality of life (QOL) from the perioperative to postdischarge stages in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: The study included 97 perioperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer [54 men and 43 women aged 62.5 ± 12.1 years (mean ± SD)] and with or without sarcopenia. Muscle mass was evaluated by the cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle on abdominal computed tomography images, muscle strength by isometric knee extension force, and physical performance by 6-minute walk distance, and patients were classified into three groups. The incidence of postoperative complications, physical function changes, and QOL were compared among the three groups from the preoperative to postdischarge stages. Results: The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly greater among patients with sarcopenia compared with the other groups, and QOL in these patients was significantly diminished. In addition, a trend toward decreased physical functioning after surgery was observed in patients with sarcopenia. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that perioperative sarcopenia influences the incidence of postoperative complications, physical function changes, and QOL after surgery in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
