The predictive role of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in postoperative complications of cancer patients.

Abstract

The correlation between body composition measured by bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and postoperative complications in 115 patients with gastrointestinal cancer was analysed. A significant increase in severe complications was found independent of lean body mass (LBM). In patients with LBM below the normal range the complication rate proved to be 31% (17/55), whereas patients with normal LBM had a complication rate of 10% (6/60). Other decisive factors, such as sex, age, tumor stage, operative procedure and body height were equally distributed in both groups. The practicability and efficiency of BIA became obvious in this study.