The Influencing Factors of Frailty and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients After Spinal Surgery

Abstract

Background

To study the related factors of frailty and quality of life in elderly patients after spinal surgery.

Methods

The anxiety, depression, frailty, and quality of life of all patients were assessed by the Anxiety screening scale (GAD-7), Depression screening scale (PHQ-9), Frailty screening scale (FRAIL), and European five-dimensional health scale (EQ-5D-5L) 1 day before surgery (DAY-0). A numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate patients’ pain during activities on the 1st day (POD-1), 3rd day (POD-3), and 30th day (POD-30) after operation. FRAIL scale and EQ-5D-5L were used to evaluate patients’ frailty and quality of life on POD-30 and 90th day (POD-90) after the operation.

Results

There were significant differences in age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative serum albumin level (ALB), and NRS score on POD-1 between the two groups (P<0.05). Age and PHQ-9 score were positively correlated with EQ-5D-5L score (P<0.05, r _Age=0.245, r_PHQ-9=0.217), and preoperative ALB level was negatively correlated with EQ-5D-5L score (P<0.05, r _ALB=−0.274).

Conclusion

The older the age, the larger the BMI and the higher the NRS score on the first day after surgery, the more prone to frailty in elderly patients after spinal surgery; The older age and the lower the preoperative ALB level, the worse the quality of life in elderly patients after spinal surgery.

Keywords:

• elderly patients
• spinal surgery
• frailty
• quality of life

Abbreviations

DAY-0, 1 day before surgery; POD-1, the 1st day after operation; POD-3, the 3rd day after operation; POD-30, the 30th day after operation; POD-90, the 90th day after operation; BMI, body mass index; ALB, serum albumin level; NRS, Numeric rating scale; NRS₁, the NRS score on the first day after surgery; EQ-5D-5L, European five-dimensional health scale; GAD-7, Anxiety screening scale; PHQ-9, Depression screening scale; FRAIL, Frailty screening scale.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to limitations of ethical approval involving the patient data and anonymity but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

After approval by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (ethics number: 2019PHB258-01) and obtaining the written consent of the selected patients. This study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed of the purpose of the experiment.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology (No. GK AD22035214); the Key Project of Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (No.2020GXNSFDA238025); Special Fund of Neurotoxicity of General Anesthetics and Its Prevention and Treatment Innovation Team of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (No.YYZS2022001); Guangxi medical and health appropriate technology development and application of the project (No. S2022008); Guangxi Science and Technology Department Natural Science Foundation Project (Active Health and Common Diseases Joint Special) Guike Jizi [2023] No.26, 2023GXNSFAA026324.