Influence of obesity on in-hospital and postoperative outcomes of hepatic resection for malignancy: a 10-year retrospective analysis from the US National Inpatient Sample

Abstract

ObjectivesThe influence of obesity on the outcomes of curative liver resection for malignancies remains controversial. We aimed to compare the in-hospital outcomes of liver resection for malignancy between obese and non-obese patients.DesignThis was a population-based, retrospective, observational study using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), the largest all-payer US inpatient care database.SettingHospitalisations of adults ≥18 years old with diagnoses of primary hepatobiliary malignancy or secondary malignant neoplasms of liver in the USA were identified from the NIS database between 2005 and 2014.ParticipantsData of 18 398 patients ≥18 years old and underwent liver resection without pancreatic resection in the NIS were extracted. All included subjects had primary hepatobiliary malignancy or secondary malignant neoplasms of the liver. Patients were divided into obese and non-obese groups. These groups were compared with respect to postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and hospital cost according to surgical extent and approach.InterventionsPatients were undergoing lobectomy of liver or partial hepatectomy.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary endpoints of this study were postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and hospital cost.ResultsAfter adjustment, obese patients were significantly more likely to experience postoperative complications than were non-obese patients (adjusted OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.42), regardless of whether lobectomy or partial hepatectomy was performed. Furthermore, obesity was significantly associated with increased risk of postoperative complications in patients who underwent open liver resection, but not laparoscopic resection. No significant difference was observed in length of hospital stay or total hospital costs between obese and non-obese patients.ConclusionsAfter adjustment for preoperative comorbidities and other potential confounders, obesity is significantly associated with greater risk of complications in patients undergoing open liver resection for malignancy, but not laparoscopic resection.