Faculty Collaboration Database

C-Reactive protein as a predictor of post-operative complications in bariatric surgery patients. Surg Endosc 2019 Aug;33(8):2479-2484

Date

10/21/2018

Pubmed ID

30341654

DOI

10.1007/s00464-018-6534-0

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85055477335 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   23 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of CRP in early identification of post-operative complications after bariatric surgery. The ability of this marker to acutely predict post-operative complications in bariatric surgery patients has not been determined.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult patients who underwent a primary and revisional laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between 2013 and 2017 at a single institution. Patients were identified using the prospective Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. CRP levels were drawn on post-operative day one per standard protocol. Univariate analyses were performed to determine the predictive impact of CRP levels on post-operative complications, readmissions, and reoperations.

RESULTS: There were 275 patients who underwent bariatric surgery, 222 primary and 53 revisional. Of the 275 patients, 36 (13.1%) had a complication. Bariatric surgery patients with a post-operative complication had higher CRP levels compared to those who did not (4.8 ± 4.6 vs. 2.9 ± 2.0; p = 0.02). A CRP ≥ 5 mg/dL had a sensitivity for a complication of 27% and a specificity of 88%. There was no difference in CRP levels for patients with a 30-day reoperation or readmission. There were no mortalities.

CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery patients with elevated post-operative CRP levels are at increased risk for 30-day complications. The low sensitivity of a CRP ≥ 5 mg/dL suggests that a normal CRP level alone does not rule out the possibility of a post-operative complication. However, with its high specificity, there should be an elevated clinical suspicion of a post-operative complication in patients with a CRP ≥ 5 mg/dL.

Author List

Villard MA, Helm MC, Kindel TL, Goldblatt MI, Gould JC, Higgins RM

Authors

Matthew I. Goldblatt MD Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jon Gould MD Chief, Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Rana Higgins MD Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Tammy Lyn Kindel MD, PhD Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Bariatric Surgery
Biomarkers
C-Reactive Protein
Female
Humans
Laparoscopy
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity, Morbid
Postoperative Complications
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Risk Assessment