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  • Frailty and frailty-related factors are associated with postoperative complications in older patients undergoing elective surgery

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Commentary
Surgery
Frailty and frailty-related factors are associated with postoperative complications in older patients undergoing elective surgery
  1. Jai Darvall1,
  2. Ruth E Hubbard2
  1. 1 Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Royal Melbourne Hospital; University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2 PA-Southside Clinical Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Ruth E Hubbard, PA-Southside Clinical Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; r.hubbard1{at}uq.edu.au

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2018-110984

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    Context

    Previous studies have demonstrated an increased risk to elderly patients undergoing surgery, with high rates of unplanned admission to intensive care units, longer duration of hospital stay and mortality.1 Less well understood, however, is how specific preoperative characteristics of older patients predispose to these adverse postoperative outcomes. With the global population ageing, identifying these factors will become increasingly important to the delivery of safe perioperative care. This study examined the prognostic value of a range of preoperative patient characteristics on elective surgical outcomes.2

    Methods

    This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies evaluating adults aged ≥60 years undergoing any type of elective surgery, reporting prognostic factors associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. The outcomes included mortality, functional decline, prolonged length of hospitalisation, discharge to a location other than home and …

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors JD wrote the first draft. REH contributed significantly to subsequent versions. Both authors approve the final version.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Not required.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

    • Data sharing statement Not applicable.