Postgastrectomy Patients Research Articles

Factors affecting the duration required for meal intake among postgastrectomy patients

Patients who had undergone gastrectomy often feel tired during meals as it takes longer for them to consume their meals, as compared to the length preoperatively. We aimed to clarify the factors affecting the duration required for food intake in this population. Participants enrolled in the study were patients who underwent total gastrectomy (TG) or distal gastrectomy (DG) within the past 5 years. We provided them with questionnaire using the mailing method. The following items were included in the questionnaire: demographics, treatment, total duration taken for three meals, meal contents, nutritional status, and Dysfunction After Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery 20 (DAUGS20) score. The participants were divided into the long duration group (LG) and short duration group (SG) of total meal duration. To compare the groups, a binomial logistic regression analysis was performed. Among the 316 participants identified, those in the middle meal intake duration group and the outlier group of over 180min were excluded. A total of 57 and 95 participants were enrolled in the LG (101-180min, mean: 125.4min [SD 16.1min]) and SG (30-60min, mean: 52.7min [SD 8.9min]), respectively. Age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.092; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.042; 1.145; p<0.001), BMI (OR: 0.783; 95% CI: 0.675; 0.908; p=0.001), and surgical type (TG/DG) (OR: 0.423; 95% CI: 0.190; 0.945; p=0.036) were determined to be factors affecting the duration required for food intake. The major factors for longer food intake duration were older age, lower BMI, and surgical type. Older people and individuals with a lower presurgery BMI were more likely to be included in the LG, which suggests that these factors could be associated with physical weakness, such as sarcopenia. Moreover, TG surgical type was more likely to cause a narrower gastrointestinal tract, especially in the area of anastomosis, which prolongs the food passage duration. For better QOL, postgastrectomy patients must be provided with knowledge on not only diet and nutrition but also efficient meal-taking, focusing on the physical decline associated with older age and lower BMI.

The effects of resistance exercise and leucine-enriched essential amino acid supplementation on muscle mass and physical function in post-gastrectomy patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

[Purpose] In gastric cancer patients, low muscle mass decreases overall survival and quality of life (QOL). Resistance exercise with leucine-enriched essential amino acid (LEAA) supplementation may prevent muscle mass loss. This study was aimed at determining whether resistance exercise with LEAA supplementation prevents muscle mass loss in post-gastrectomy patients. [Participant and Methods] We conducted a single-center, open-label, randomized controlled pilot trial. Ten participants who underwent gastrectomy were divided into two groups. The intervention group underwent resistance exercise at 70% of one repetition maximum and received a supplement of 3 g of LEAA twice daily for 15 days, while the control group received standard care. We compared changes in muscle mass, physical function (muscle strength and continuous walking distance), and QOL between the groups. [Results] We found good adherence and participation rates in both groups. We failed to detect a significant difference in muscle mass between the groups. The intervention group showed significant improvements in muscle strength and QOL, while the control group showed no significant changes. [Conclusion] We failed to detect a significant difference in muscle mass due to resistance exercise with LEAA supplementation in post-gastrectomy patients. However, resistance exercise with LEAA supplementation might be beneficial for muscle strength recovery and QOL improvements.

Clinical Impact of the C-reactive Protein-albumin-lymphocyte Index in Post-gastrectomy Patients With Gastric Cancer.

Recently, preoperative inflammatory, immune, and nutritional statuses have attracted attention as prognostic factors in post-curative gastrectomy patients with gastric cancer (GC). The usefulness of the C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index as a prognostic factor in patients with various cancers, has been reported. However, reports on the clinical significance of the CALLY index in patients with GC after gastrectomy remain inadequate. In this prospective study, we focused on the preoperative CALLY index and investigated its usefulness as a prognostic factor in patients with GC. This study included 459 patients who underwent gastrectomy for GC between December 2013 and November 2017 at Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa, Japan. The preoperative CALLY index was calculated based on the preoperative blood test data. Patients were divided into high- and low-CALLY groups. The associations of the preoperative CALLY scores with clinicopathological factors, overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) after gastrectomy for GC were evaluated. The low-CALLY group was significantly older, had higher venous invasion, and a more progressive pStage than did the high-CALLY group. OS and RFS after gastrectomy in the low-CALLY group were significantly worse than those in the high-CALLY group (77.9% vs. 88.9%; p<0.001 and 73.8% vs. 87.1%; p<0.001, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, a low CALLY score was an independent prognostic factor of worse OS and RFS. Preoperative CALLY levels may be a useful prognostic predictor in patients with GC after curative gastrectomy.

Effects of individualized dietary counseling on nutritional status and quality of life in post-discharge patients after surgery for gastric cancer: A randomized clinical trial.

Currently, the supporting evidence for dietary counseling is insufficient. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of individualized dietary counseling on nutritional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. This study was a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial. The patients after surgery for gastric cancer were randomly assigned (1:1) to the intervention group and the control group. In the intervention group, patients receive individualized dietary counseling based on individual calorie needs and symptom assessment at 24h before discharge, 14, 21, 30, and 60 days postoperatively. Patients in the control group received routine dietary counseling. The primary endpoint was body mass index (BMI) loss at 30, 60, and 90 days after surgery; the secondary endpoints were calorie and protein intake at 30 and 60 days after surgery, blood parameters, the 90-day readmission rate, and QOL at 90 days after surgery. One hundred thirty patients were enrolled; 67 patients were assigned to the intervention group and 63 patients to the control group. Compared with the control group, patients in the intervention group were significantly less BMI loss at 30 days (-0.84 ± 0.65 vs. -1.29 ± 0.83), 60 days (-1.29 ± 0.92 vs. -1.77 ± 1.13), and 90 days (-1.37 ± 1.05 vs. -1.92 ± 1.66) after surgery (all P< 0.05). Subgroups analysis by surgery type showed that the intervention could significantly reduce BMI loss in patients undergoing total and proximal gastrectomy at 30 days (-0.75 ± 0.47 vs. -1.55 ± 1.10), 60 days (-1.59 ± 1.02 vs. -2.55 ± 1.16), and 90 days (-1.44 ± 1.19 vs. -3.26 ± 1.46) after surgery (all P< 0.05). At 60 days after surgery, calorie goals were reached in 35 patients (77.8%) in the intervention group and 14 patients (40.0%) in the control group (P = 0.001), and protein goals were reached in 40 patients (88.9%) in the intervention group and 17 patients (48.6%) in the control group (P< 0.001). Regarding the QOL at 90 days after surgery, the patients in the intervention group had a significantly lower level of fatigue, shortness of breath and stomach pain, better physical function, and cognitive function (P< 0.05). Post-discharge individualized dietary counseling is an effective intervention to reduce post-gastrectomy patient weight loss and to elevate calorie intake, protein intake, and QOL.

Patient-reported gastrointestinal symptoms following surgery for gastric cancer and the relative risk factors.

PurposeThe study aims to assess the incidence of short-term patient-reported postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms (PGISs) after gastric cancer surgery and explore the relative risk factors for the symptoms.MethodsPatients with radical gastrectomy were included for this retrospective and observational study. Symptoms extracted from the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Gastrointestinal Cancer Module (MDASI-GI) were collected in postdischarge week (PDW) 1 and postoperative month (POM) 1. The distributing states of symptoms were analyzed in PDW1 and POM1. Logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for PGISs.ResultsAmong 356 patients with complete interviews, 156 (43.8%) patients reported abdominal distention in PDW1, which was significantly higher than patients in POM1 [103 (28.9%), p < 0.001]. Pain (15.2% vs. 9.8%), dysphagia (5.6% vs. 7.0%), diarrhea (3.7% vs. 3.4%), and vomiting (2.5% vs. 2.8%) had no significant differences between PDW1 and POM1. Logistic models found that risk factors for PGISs were total gastrectomy [odds ratio (OR): 1.948; 95% CI: 1.097–3.459; p = 0.023] and disturbed sleep (OR: 3.116; 95% CI: 1.831–5.303; p < 0.001) in PDW1 and female gender (OR: 1.726; 95% CI: 1.071–2.782; p = 0.025), total gastrectomy (OR: 1.729; 95% CI: 1.055–2.834; p = 0.030), and disturbed sleep (OR: 3.533; 95% CI: 1.757–7.106; p < 0.001) in POM1.ConclusionsThe main symptom after gastric cancer surgery was abdominal distention. The relative risk factors for gastrointestinal symptoms after gastric cancer surgery were total gastrectomy and disturbed sleep. Timely symptom intervention may improve the quality of life of postgastrectomy patients.

Vitamin D-The Nutritional Status of Post-Gastrectomy Gastric Cancer Patients-Systematic Review.

Gastric cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract, with one of the standard treatment methods remaining gastrectomy. The authors conducted a systemic review of the Medline and Embase databases concerning the serum vitamin D level in post-gastrectomy gastric cancer patients, regarding all articles published until 22 May 2022 according to the PRISMA guidelines. 18 studies with a total number of 908 gastric cancer survivors were included in the analysis. The initial rate of vitamin D deficiency in gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy appears to be similar to the global population deficiency. In post-gastrectomy survivors, the level of 25(OH)D may remain stable or decrease, while the level of 1, 25(OH)2D remains normal. Supplementation with vitamin D results in an improvement in its serum concentration and positively affects bone mineral density, which is gradually reduced in post-gastrectomy survivors. Combining vitamin D supplementation with calcium and bisphosphonates enables us to obtain better results than vitamin D and calcium only. The type of surgery influences the level of serum vitamin D and its metabolites, with total or partial gastrectomy and maintenance of the duodenal food passage remaining the most important factors. There is a strong need for randomized, controlled trials that would investigate this matter in the future.

Defecation disorders are crucial sequelae that impairs the quality of life of patients after conventional gastrectomy.

BACKGROUNDDefecation disorders are obscure sequelae that occurs after gastrectomy, and its implication on daily lives of patients have not been sufficiently investigated.AIMTo examine the features of defecation disorders after gastrectomy and to explore its implication on daily lives of patients in a large cohort using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale (PGSAS)-45.METHODSWe conducted a nationwide multi-institutional study using PGSAS-45 to examine the prevalence of postgastrectomy syndrome and its impact on daily lives of patients after various types of gastrectomy. Data were obtained from 2368 eligible patients at 52 institutions in Japan. Of these, 1777 patients who underwent total gastrectomy (TG; n = 393) or distal gastrectomy (DG; n = 1384) were examined. The severity of defecation disorder symptoms, such as diarrhea and constipation, and their correlation with other postgastrectomy symptoms were examined. The importance of defecation disorder symptoms on the living states and quality of life (QOL) of postgastrectomy patients, and those clinical factors that affect the severity of defecation disorder symptoms were evaluated using multiple regression analysis.RESULTSAmong seven symptom subscales of PGSAS-45, the ranking of diarrhea was 4th in TG and 2nd in DG. The ranking of constipation was 5th in TG and 1st in DG. The symptoms that correlated well with diarrhea were dumping and indigestion in both TG and DG; while those with constipation were abdominal pain and meal-related distress in TG, and were meal-related distress and indigestion in DG. Among five main outcome measures (MOMs) of living status domain, constipation significantly impaired four MOMs, while diarrhea had no effect in TG. Both diarrhea and constipation impaired most of five MOMs in DG. Among six MOMs of QOL domain, diarrhea impaired one MOM, whereas constipation impaired all six MOMs in TG. Both diarrhea and constipation equally impaired all MOMs in DG. Male sex, younger age, division of the celiac branch of vagus nerve, and TG, independently worsened diarrhea, while female sex worsened constipation.CONCLUSIONDefecation disorder symptoms, particularly constipation, impair the living status and QOL of patients after gastrectomy; therefore, we should pay attention and adequately treat these relatively modest symptoms to improve postoperative QOL.

Utility of monthly minodronate for osteoporosis after gastrectomy: Prospective multicenter randomized controlled trials.

AimOsteoporosis in patients after gastrectomy is increasing with the aging of gastric cancer patients. Bisphosphonates are effective treatments for osteoporosis; however, their safety or efficacy in postgastrectomy patients has not been established. The purpose of this multicenter prospective intervention study was to investigate the impact of monthly minodronate on osteoporosis after gastrectomy.MethodsOf the 261 enrolled gastric cancer patients, 164 patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis based on criteria of the Japan Society of Osteoporosis. They were randomly assigned 1:1 to groups treated with active vitamin D (VD group) or monthly minodronate (MIN group). The primary endpoint was changes in lumbar bone mineral density (L‐BMD) 12 mo after the start of administration. The secondary endpoints were changes in bone metabolism markers, adverse events (AEs), or treatment completion rates.ResultsThere was no significant difference in patient background between the VD (n = 82) and MIN (n = 82) groups. In the MIN group, the increase in L‐BMD was significantly higher than that in the VD group (4.52% vs 1.72%, P = .001), with a significant reduction in bone metabolism markers; blood NTX (−25.6% vs −1.6%, P < .01) and serum bone‐specific alkaline phosphatase (−34.3% vs −20.1%, P < .01). AEs were observed in 26.8% and 9.3% of the patients and treatment completion rates were 77.5% and 89.3% in the MIN and VD groups, respectively. Serious AEs were not observed in either group.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of monthly minodronate, suggesting that this treatment may be useful for osteoporosis after gastrectomy (UMIN000015517).

Quality of Life of Post-Gastrectomy Patients: A Study in Indonesia's National Central Hospital

Introduction. Several studies suggest gastrectomy is associated with deterioration in a patient's quality of life (QOL). This study is conducted to assess the impact of distal (DG), proximal (PG), or total (TG) gastrectomy and the cause of disease on a patient's QOL. Method. This retrospective study was conducted in dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital with collected data from the medical records throughout July-September 2020. Inclusion criteria were patients after proximal, distal, or total gastrectomy for a tumor or any non-tumor indications. They were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF). Collected data were further analyzed using statistical univariate and bivariate analysis. Results. Sixty-six patients with a mean age of 47.12 ± 14.5 years were enrolled in the study. We found significant differences between the proximal, distal, and whole groups with the environmental domain and the total WHOQOL-BREF values. The median scores for the environmental domain were 63 (50–88), 69 (50–88), 56 (50–75), and the mean WHOQOL-BREF total scores for proximal, distal, and total gastrectomy patients were 64.42 ± 9.34, 67.19 ± 9.44, 59.12 ± 8.04 for the proximal, distal, and total groups, respectively. Subjects with an etiology of malignancy had a lower median WHOQOL-BREF score in most domains. However, there was no significant difference in WHOQOL-BREF scores between non-tumor and tumor subjects. Conclusion. This study found decreasing patients' QOL after total gastrectomy compared with distal and proximal in the environmental domain and the total WHOQOL-BREF value. There was no difference in post-gastrectomy patients' QOL between tumor and non-tumor etiology in all WHOQOL-BREF domains.

Retraction Note to: Effect of alendronate on bone mineral density and bone turnovermarkers in post-gastrectomy osteoporotic patients.

Alendronate decreases the urinary levels of cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (NTX; about 45% at 3 months) and serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP; about 27% at 24 months), leading to an increase in lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD; about 9% at 24 months) in postmenopausal Japanese women with osteoporosis. However, the effectiveness of oral bisphosphonates on osteoporosis remains to be established in patients who have undergone a gastrectomy. The objective of the present case series study was to examine the effect of alendronate on BMD and bone turnover markers in post-gastrectomy osteoporotic patients. Sixteen patients (3 men and 13 postmenopausal women) with osteoporosis, who had undergone a gastrectomy (mean age: 69.1 years), were recruited in our outpatient clinic. All the patients were treated with alendronate (5 mg daily or 35 mg weekly) for 24 months. The effects of alendronate on lumbar spine (women) or total hip (men) BMD and urinary NTX and serum ALP levels were examined. A total or partial gastrectomy had been performed for eight patients each. The mean duration after surgery was 16.0 years. With alendronate therapy, urinary NTX levels significantly decreased at 3 months (−27.0%). Serum ALP levels decreased (−12.1%) and lumbar spine BMD increased (+5.2%), but total hip BMD did not significantly change (+0.6%) at 24 months. No severe adverse events were observed, and alendronate therapy was well tolerated. These results suggest that alendronate mildly increases lumbar spine BMD by mildly reducing bone turnover in osteoporotic patients after a gastrectomy.

Postgastrectomy gastric cancer patients are at high risk for colorectal neoplasia: a case control study

Background/AimsSeveral studies have shown that colorectal neoplasms (CRN) including colorectal cancer (CRC) may be prevalent in patients with gastric cancer. However, in most of these studies, colonoscopy to investigate the prevalence of CRN was performed prior to surgery. We aimed to investigate whether CRN was more prevalent in postgastrectomy gastric cancer patients than in healthy individuals.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records of those patients within a cohort of gastric cancer patients with gastrectomy who underwent colonoscopy between 2016 and 2017. Controls age- and sex-matched with gastric cancer patients at a 2:1 ratio were identified among those who underwent colonoscopy at a health-promotion center. The frequencies of CRN, advanced CRN (ACRN), and CRC among patients with gastrectomy were compared with those in the control subjects. A total of 744 individuals (gastric cancer, 248; control, 496) were included.ResultsThe rates of CRN and ACRN in the gastric cancer group were higher than those in the healthy individuals (CRN, 47.6% vs. 34.7%, P<0.001; ACRN, 16.9% vs. 10.9%, P=0.020). The rate of CRC was comparable between the 2 groups (2.0% vs. 0.6%, P=0.125). Multivariate analysis identified previous gastrectomy for gastric cancer and male sex as significant risk factors for (A)CRN.ConclusionsCRN and ACRN were more prevalent in patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer than in the control group. Regular surveillance colonoscopy at appropriate intervals is indicated after gastrectomy.

Diagnosis and treatment of the afferent loop syndrome.

Afferent loop syndrome (ALS) is a mechanical complication that arises after gastric surgery with gastrojejunostomy reconstruction. This condition was first described in 1950 by Roux, Pedoussaut, and Marchal to post-gastrectomy patients with bilious vomiting. Acute ALS is associated with complete obstruction and considered a surgical emergency, whereas chronic ALS is mostly related to partial obstruction of the afferent loop. The delay in diagnosis may lead to intestinal ischemia, perforation and can be associated with a high mortality rate up to 60%. Surgery is usually the mainstay treatment of ALS, but endoscopic therapy, including stent placement in malignancy-related, anastomotic stricture dilation, has been evolving over the past recent years.

Severity of postgastrectomy syndrome and quality of life after advanced gastric cancer radical gastrectomy.

It has previously been suggested that postgastrectomy syndrome (PGS) is more severe in patients after surgery for advanced gastric cancer than in patients with early gastric cancer. Using the postgastrectomy syndrome assessment scale-45 (PGSAS-45), the present study aimed to determine whether PGS for postgastrectomy patients, in Kanazawa Medical University Hospital, with advanced gastric cancer was more severe than for patients with early gastric cancer. A questionnaire survey was conducted using PGSAS-45 for curative gastric cancer gastrectomy cases at Kanazawa Medical University Hospital. The questionnaire data were combined with patient background data, anonymized and moved to an unlinked file for patient privacy. Using this dataset, non-recurrent cases of distal partial gastrectomy were extracted and divided into two groups, stage IA or IB patients (group E), and stage IIA or higher (group A). The main outcome measures (MOMs) of PGSAS-45 were compared between the two groups. The participants in the present study included 35 cases in group E and 22 cases in group A. The results of a univariate analysis to compare the MOMs between the two groups showed that only the dumping subscale was significantly different in group A and was judged to be caused by the underlying bias of the background factor. There were no MOMs with significant differences in the pathological stage based on multiple regression analyses. In cases of distal partial gastrectomy, the PGS and quality of life (QoL) of patients following advanced gastric cancer surgery were similar to those of patients with early gastric cancer. The standardized treatment for advanced gastric cancer did not induce notable postoperative failures, and QoL was not impaired. In contrast, for early-stage gastric cancer cases, the present study suggests that it is necessary to distinguish metastasis-negative cases to indicate an appropriate, function-preserving curative gastrectomy.

Surveillance Endoscopy Guidelines for Postgastrectomy Patients Based on Risk of Developing Remnant Gastric Cancer

Remnant gastric cancer (RGC) has a major impact on the long-term survival of postgastrectomy patients. In this study, we established surveillance endoscopy guidelines for postgastrectomy patients based on the risk of RGC. A total of 6365 patients who underwent gastrectomy at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital from September 2005 to June 2018 were retrospectively reviewed; 85 patients were identified as having RGC. We divided the RGC patients into subgroups according to the interval between primary and secondary gastrectomy. The curative resection rate was significantly lower in patients with an interval of ≤ 5years versus > 5years (p = 0.017). RGC developed more frequently after Billroth II reconstruction, and at the anastomotic site, in patients with a > 10- versus ≤ 10-year interval (p = 0.006 and p = 0.014, respectively). Similar results were observed based on the 15-year interval cutoff (p = 0.001 and 0.018, respectively). The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with a ≤ 5-year interval was significantly lower than that of patients with a > 5-year interval (60.0% versus 85.7%, p = 0.015), while overall survival did not differ between the ≤ 10- and > 10-year, or ≤ 15- and 15-year interval groups. RGC incidence showed a decrease after around 20years postoperatively. Thorough endoscopic examination should be conducted for up to 5years postgastrectomy. Routine annual endoscopic follow-up should be performed for up to 20years after the primary operation for gastric cancer, to allow for early detection of RGC.

The change of bone mineral density and bone metabolism after gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a meta-analysis.

Survivorship care, including bone health, has become an important issue in gastric cancer. We performed a meta-analysis of the available observational studies to determine whether and how osteoporosis risk is increased after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. A total of 1204 patients (802 men) from 19 cohort studies were included. We evaluated the prevalence of osteoporosis in postgastrectomy patients, comparing the incidence according to the type of gastrectomy and sex. Additionally, we evaluated changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism-related markers pre- to postoperatively and between patients who underwent gastrectomy and matched controls. Proportion meta-analysis was performed and pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. The pooled incidence estimate was 36% [95% confidence interval (CI), 32-40]. The incidence of osteoporosis was significantly higher in women than in men (OR = 1.90, p < 0.001) but was similar between partial and total gastrectomy groups (OR = 0.983, p = 0.939). BMD was significantly decreased, and calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone levels were significantly increased in patients after gastrectomy compared to those before gastrectomy. BMD and calcium and 25OH-vitamin D levels were significantly decreased, and parathyroid hormone and 1,25OH-vitamin D levels were significantly increased in the gastrectomy group compared to that in the control group. We found that BMD is significantly decreased after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. Vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism are suggested to be common mechanism underlying BMD impairment. After resection, patients should undergo long-term nutritional and bone health surveillance, in addition to their oncological follow-up.

Effect of Biologic Material Reinforcement on Surgical Anastomosis After Gastrectomy-A Pilot Study.

Background: Acellular dermal matrix is a biologic material derived from the skin of human cadaveric donors. It has been used successfully in the past to reduce complications in breast surgery and hernia repair. This investigation was aimed at assessing the feasibility of using acellular dermal matrix to support the anastomosis after gastrectomy with the aim of reducing anastomotic site leakage complications.Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to standard anastomotic reconstruction (control arm) or anastomotic reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix reinforcement (intervention arm). Surgical outcomes related to anastomotic complications were collected. Because actual anastomotic leaks found on imaging studies are infrequent and thus require a very high number of patient recruitment to detect statistically significant difference between the two groups, in this pilot investigation other clinical and laboratory measures that have been shown to correlate to or predict anastomotic leaks were also collected. Each surgical outcome was compared.Results: A total of 94 patients (intervention arm: 50, control arm: 44), were included in the analysis. Two patients in the control arm (4.55%) and one patient in the intervention arm (2.00%) experienced anastomotic leakage (p = 0.598), a difference without statistical significance. However, average postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and NUn scores, both of which have been shown to reflect likelihood of progressing to anastomotic leakage, were significantly lower for the intervention arm. The control arm showed an average CRP level of 128.77 mg/dL (SD: 97.08) while the intervention arm showed 77.38 mg/dL (SD: 49.08, p = 0.049).Conclusions: Leakage rate reduction with acellular dermal matrix reinforcement of anastomotic site was not detected in this investigation. However, postoperative inflammation levels and numerical predictors of anastomotic leakage development were significantly lower with acellular dermal matrix reinforcement of surgical anastomosis. This finding is worthy of further investigation, as reduction of inflammation with anastomotic site reinforcement is a novel finding, and more in-depth research may lead to discoveries on the physiologic role of the surgical anastomosis in post-gastrectomy patients. In addition, lower CRP and NUn scores for the intervention arm suggest potential for larger studies to detect reduction in clinical leak rates after acellular dermal matrix reinforcement.

Anasarca, steatorrhea, and hypoalbuminemia 18\u2009years after total gastrectomy: a case report

BackgroundPancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is known to occur after total gastrectomy. We experienced a case of PEI occurring 18 years after surgery, leading to a potentially fatal condition of capillary leak syndrome (CLS).Case presentationThe case is a 58-year-old man on a healthy diet who underwent total gastrectomy 18 years before. He was admitted for a 3-month history of anasarca, steatorrhea, and hypoalbuminemia. An episode of fever occurred during workup, followed by pulmonary edema and shock. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit and was started on fluid management with albumin infusion. A multidisciplinary team meeting was held, and a clinical diagnosis of PEI resulted in CLS was made and we started administration of oral pancrelipase to show clinical improvement. The patient was discharged, and he remained asymptomatic for 13 months.ConclusionIn a post-gastrectomy patient with malnutrition, PEI should be suspected regardless of the period since surgery. When recognized, immediate replenishment of albumin and pancreatic enzymes should be initiated to prevent clinical deterioration.

Long-term effects of an oral elemental nutritional supplement on post-gastrectomy body weight loss in gastric cancer patients.

94 Background: Postoperative weight loss could have a negative effect on quality of life and prognosis of gastric cancer patients. We have already shown that daily nutritional intervention with an oral elemental diet (ED) attenuated the short-term postoperative percentage of body weight loss (% BWL) in post-gastrectomy patients, especially in underwent total gastrectomy (TG). This study was conducted to evaluate the postoperative long-term BWL of nutritional intervention. Methods: This study was conducted in a cohort of consecutive patients which were randomly allocated to receive the control or ED diet in the original trial. Control group received the regular diet alone after gastrectomy, while ED group received 300 kcal of ED plus their regular diet for 6–8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the % BWL from the presurgical bodyweight to that at 1 year after surgery by surgical type. Secondary endpoints were changes in nutrition-related blood parameters. Results: One hundred six of registered patients in the original trial were eligible for efficacy analyses. There was not significant difference in the % BWL between the two groups (9.13 ± 7.72 % vs. 7.09 ± 7.49 %, respectively; p = 0.171). The % BWL at one year after surgery was significantly lower in ED group than in control group among patients who underwent TG (n = 19 and 17, respectively; 9.66 ± 5.98% vs. 15.11 ± 6.78%, respectively; p = 0.015), but not in patients who underwent distal gastrectomy (DG) (n = 38 and 32, respectively; 5.81 ± 7.91% vs. 5.96 ± 6.20%, respectively; p = 0.933). A multivariate analysis revealed that only type of gastrectomy was independently associated with % BWL at 1 year after surgery. And in total gastrectomy, ED administration was independently associated with % BWL. Total lymphocyte count in ED group increased more than that in control group at 1 year after surgery. Conclusions: Nutritional intervention with ED at 300 kcal per day for 6–8 weeks reduced body weight loss at 1 year as well as 6-8 weeks after surgery in patients who underwent total gastrectomy. Clinical trial information: 000023455.

The food characteristics of unpalatable meal contents and difference by operation types for post gastrectomy patients- comparison between total gastrectomy and distal gastrectomy

Rationale: This study aims to reveal the food characteristics of unpalatable meal contents for post Gastrectomy patients and difference between Total Gastrectomy (TG) and Distal Gastrectomy(DG).

Questionnaire and Weighted Scoring Formula for Evaluating Clinically Useful Quality-of-Life Scores of Post-Surgical Gastric Cancer Patients

Background: As survival rates of cancer patients are improving, the quality-of-life (QoL) is becoming the next significant clinical endpoint. However, most oncology QoL questionnaires fall short in providing clinically useful information for guiding post-surgery care. Consideration of pre-existing health issues and a scoring formula that assigns weights to different scales for patient grading may generate clinically useful QoL scores. Methods: The Quality-of-Life Questionnaire for Post Gastrectomy (QoLQ-PG), which considers pre-existing health issues, comprises 30 items across five scales (general symptom, post-gastrectomy syndrome, activity, psychological state, social relation) and an overall scale. A total of 2524 survey responses from 1035 gastric cancer (GC) patients were collected. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using the multitrait-multimethod matrix. Regression analysis was performed to determine the weight of each scale. Analysis of variance was performed using Fisher's least significant difference test. Findings: The QoLQ-PG showed good reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity (Cronbach's alpha: 0.704-0.840; validity diagonal: 0.529-0.786). The scoring formula accurately represented the contributions of the five scales to the overall QoL (R2 = 0.445; p < 0.001), which showed significant correlations (r = 0.228, p < 0.001) with changes in body weight, a decisive clinical index in post-gastrectomy patients. Classification of the QoLQ-PG scores into four grades allowed clear distinction among patient grades, which were also highly correlated with body weight changes (F = 23.12, p < 0.001). Interpretation: The QoLQ-PG reliably illustrated the QoL of post-gastrectomy GC patients in terms of weighted total score and scale scores, which respectively may be used to denote the level and type of post-surgery care needed. The concept and scoring formula of the QoLQ-PG may be adapted in other cancers to evaluate clinically relevant QoL and guide post-treatment plans. Funding Statement: Asan Institute for Life Sciences and Corporate Relations, Asan Medical Center, Korea Declaration of Interests: All authors have no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The Ethics Committee of Asan Medical Center reviewed and approved the study protocol (2015-1288).