Increased BMI may not predict perioperative 30-day mortality in elderly surgical patients as previously thought, according to a study published in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
The study's authors hypothesized that being overweight or obese would increase the risks of surgery for patients. The study examined data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data File to identify the BMI and 30-day outcomes of 25,337 patients aged 65 years or older. The patients, who underwent vascular surgery from 2005-2007, were classified as underweight, normal, overweight, obese class I, obese class II and obese class III.
Morality rates varied among the classes, according to the study. The highest mortality rates occurred in underweight and excessively obese patients, followed by patients with a normal weight. Independent perioperative factors such as active congestive heart failure, disseminated cancer, inability to function independently and recent weight loss were statistically more important than BMI alone in determining surgical risk.
Read the abstract on the study in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Read more on anesthesia:
-14 Statistics About Anesthesiologist Compensation, Benefits and Collections
-Anesthesiologists Identify Non-Invasive Way to Monitor Body Temperature Continuously
-Study: Morphine-Like Drug Stronger, Longer-Lasting Than Standard Morphine
The study's authors hypothesized that being overweight or obese would increase the risks of surgery for patients. The study examined data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data File to identify the BMI and 30-day outcomes of 25,337 patients aged 65 years or older. The patients, who underwent vascular surgery from 2005-2007, were classified as underweight, normal, overweight, obese class I, obese class II and obese class III.
Morality rates varied among the classes, according to the study. The highest mortality rates occurred in underweight and excessively obese patients, followed by patients with a normal weight. Independent perioperative factors such as active congestive heart failure, disseminated cancer, inability to function independently and recent weight loss were statistically more important than BMI alone in determining surgical risk.
Read the abstract on the study in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Read more on anesthesia:
-14 Statistics About Anesthesiologist Compensation, Benefits and Collections
-Anesthesiologists Identify Non-Invasive Way to Monitor Body Temperature Continuously
-Study: Morphine-Like Drug Stronger, Longer-Lasting Than Standard Morphine