Correlation of pre-operative nutritional condition with post-operative complications in surgical treatment for oesophageal carcinoma

Aims: The relationship between the pre-operative nutritional condition and the outcome of the surgical treatment in patients with oesophageal carcinoma has been discussed diversely. The aim of the current study was to demonstrate the relationship between pre-operative nutritional condition and post-operative complications and prognosis following surgical treatment for oesophageal carcinoma. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-eight patients with oesophageal carcinoma treated with oesophageal resection and reconstruction were selected. The correlation of pre-operative values of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) with the incidence of post-operative complications and prognosis of the patients was investigated. Results: The mean pre-operative value of PNI in patients with post-operative complications (41.8 +/- 5.4) was significantly lower than that in patients without post-operative complications (46.5 +/- 5.3; P < 0.0001). The survival in patients with higher PNI value was significantly more favourable than that in patients with lower PNI value (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Pre-operative assessment of the nutritional condition could provide predictive information for postoperative complications in patients with oesophageal carcinoma. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.