Preoperative frailty predicts adverse short-term postoperative outcomes in patients treated with radical prostatectomy

Background: To investigate the effect of frailty on short-term postoperative outcomes in patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). Methods: Within the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified 91,618 RP patients treated between 2008 and 2015. The Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty-defining indicator was applied, and we examined the rates of frailty over time, as well as its effect on overall complications, major complications, nonhome-based discharge, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges (THCs). Time trends and multivariable logistic, Poisson and linear regression models were applied. Results: Overall, 12,185 (13.3%) patients were frail. Rates of frail patients increased over time (from 10.3 to 18.2%; p < 0.001). Frail patients had higher rates of overall complications (16.6 vs. 8.6%), major complications (4.9 vs. 2.6%), nonhome-based discharge (5.9 vs. 5%), longer LOS (2 vs. 1), and higher THCs ($37,186 vs. $35,241) (all p < 0.001). Moreover, frailty was an independent predictor of overall complications (OR: 1.95), major complications (OR: 1.76), nonhome-based discharge (OR: 1.20), longer LOS (RR: 1.19), and higher THCs (RR: $3160) (all p < 0.001). Of frail patients, 10,418 (85.5%) neither exhibited body mass index ≥ 30 nor Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 2. Conclusions: On average, every seventh RP patient is frail and that proportion is on the rise. Frail individuals are at higher risk of adverse short-term postoperative outcomes, that cannot be predicted by other risk factors, such as obesity or comorbidities.