Impact of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes after radical gastrectomy for patients without nutritional risk

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients without nutritional risk and the association between sarcopenia and postoperative outcomes after radical gastrectomy in these patients. Method We conducted a study of non-nutritional risk patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy from August 2014 to December 2017 in two centers. Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) was used to evaluate the nutritional risk. Patients who with NRS 2002 score Results In all, 545 patients were included, in which the prevalence of sarcopenia and postoperative complications was 7.3% and 21.1%, respectively. Sarcopenia was significantly associated with higher age, lower body mass index, lower handgrip strength, lower usual walking speed, longer postoperative hospital length of stay, and higher costs. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors revealed that sarcopenia was an independent predictor (odds ratio, 2.330; 95% confidence interval, 1.132–4.796; P  = 0.022] for postoperative complications. Male sex, diabetes, and preoperative anemia also were risk factors for postoperative complications. Conclusion Sarcopenia was a significant independent risk factor for postoperative complications after gastrectomy in patients without nutritional risk. Preoperative assessment and management of sarcopenia should be helpful for improving clinical outcomes for patients without nutritional risk.