Modified frailty index predicts high-risk patients for readmission after colorectal surgery for cancer.

Background: Modified frailty index (mFI) has been proposed as a reliable tool in predicting postoperative outcomes after surgery. This study aims to evaluate whether mFI could be utilized to predict readmissions after colorectal resection for patients with cancer by using nationwide cohort.

Methods: Patients undergoing elective abdominal colorectal resection for colorectal cancer were reviewed from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) procedure-targeted database (2010-2012). A previously described mFI was calculated. Demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative complications were compared between patients who were readmitted or not after colorectal surgery.

Results: A total of 7337 patients were identified with a mean age of 65.8(±13.6) years. Eight hundred seventy-one (11.8%) patients were readmitted at least once within 30 days. Age, gender, BMI, and other comorbidities were comparable between the groups. O approach, current smoking, mFI(>3/11), disseminating cancer, bleeding disorder and longer operative time were found to independently associated with readmission.

Conclusions: An 11-point modified frailty index as measured in NSQIP correlates with readmissions after colorectal resection in patients with colon and rectal cancer.