Computed tomography derived body composition and risk of anastomotic leakage following rectal cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Mark Broekman, Charlotte M S Genders, Ritchie T J Geitenbeek et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the association between computed tomography (CT)-derived body composition metrics and anastomotic leakage (AL) risk in 5763 rectal cancer patients undergoing restorative surgery. The analysis found that a visceral fat area (VFA) greater than 100 cm² was significantly associated with increased AL risk, with an odds ratio of 1.72 (95% CI: 1.26-2.36, p = 0.009).
Key findings
- Visceral fat area (VFA > 100 cm²) was associated with increased AL risk (OR 1.72, 95% CI: 1.26-2.36, p = 0.009).
- No consistent associations were found for subcutaneous fat, skeletal muscle, or psoas muscle indices.
- The review included 27 studies and 22 different CT-derived body parameters.
Why it matters
Understanding the relationship between body composition and postoperative complications like anastomotic leakage can help clinicians identify at-risk patients and potentially improve surgical outcomes through tailored preoperative assessments.
What to keep in mind
Considerable heterogeneity in parameter definitions, cut-offs, and measurement protocols limited further pooling of data.