The pulmonary surgical Apgar score for lung cancer surgery predicts postoperative complications and long-term survival

OBJECTIVES: The surgical Apgar score, calculated using 3 intraoperative variables (blood loss, lowest mean arterial pressure and lowest heart rate), is associated with mortality in cancer surgery. The original score has less applicability in lung cancer surgery; therefore, we innovated the modified pulmonary surgical Apgar score with additional intraoperative oxygen saturation representing pulmonary parenchymal damage and cardiopulmonary dynamics. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the data of 691 patients who underwent surgery for primary lung cancer between 2015 and 2019 at a single institute. We analysed the utility of the pulmonary surgical Apgar score compared with the original surgical Apgar score. RESULTS: Postoperative complications were observed in 57 (8.2%) and 7 (1.0%) of the 691 patients who were stratified as grade >= III and V, respectively, according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. We compared the fitness of the score in predicting postoperative complications; the calculated c-index (0.622) was slightly higher than the original c-index (0.604; P = 0.398). Patients were categorized into 3 groups based on their scores as follows: 0-6 points (n = 59), 7-9 points (n = 420) and 10-12 points (n = 212). Univariable and multivariable analyses demonstrated that a lower score was an independent negative risk factor for postoperative complications (odds ratio 3.53; P = 0.02). Patients with lower scores had a considerably poor 5-year overall survival (64.6%) (P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The pulmonary surgical Apgar score predicts postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients with lung cancer undergoing surgery and may be utilized for postoperative management.

Automated summary

In this study, the pulmonary surgical Apgar score was found to predict postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients with lung cancer undergoing surgery, highlighting its potential value for postoperative management.