Canadian researchers found physical frailty among older people who have elective surgery is linked to a greater risk of death one year later, according to a study published in JAMA.
According to researchers, the one-year death rate for frail older patients having certain surgeries was at least one death for every five people. Daniel McIsaac, study leader of the University of Ottawa in Ontario, and colleagues assessed the physical frailty of 200,000 people who were aged 65 and older. The average age was 77. They all underwent elective major non-cardiac surgery, such as large bowel surgery, joint replacement and liver resection. Three percent were considered frail.
Here are six points:
1. Within a year after surgery, 14 percent of the frail patients died.
2. Only 5 percent of those who weren't thought frail died during this postoperative time period.
3. The risk for death one year after major surgery remained significantly higher for frail patients, even after the researchers took other factors into account, such as the patients' age, gender and income.
4. Variables that affected a frail surgical patient's risk of death included time since surgery, age and the type of surgery.
5. The risk of dying was highest earliest in the postoperative period for frail patients. Younger frail patients were also more at risk, as were those who had joint replacement surgery.
6. Although the study found a link between frailty and the risk of death, researchers note the study could not show a cause-and-effect relationship.