Association of body mass index and outcomes following lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract Background Obesity and overweight have become increasingly prevalent, but no consensus has been reached regarding the effect of body mass index (BMI) on surgical outcomes. In this study, we sought to examine the influence of BMI on perioperative outcomes in a large cohort of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent lobectomy. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in 1198 patients who underwent lobectomy for primary NSCLC at Shandong Provincial Hospital between November 2006 and January 2017. BMI was calculated using measured height and weight on admission and categorized as obese (≥ 30 kg/m2), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m2), normal (18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2), or underweight (< 18.5 kg/m2). Patients’ baseline characteristics and outcomes were abstracted from medical records following institutional review board approval. Endpoints included operative mortality, perioperative complications, and length of stay (LOS). Complications were divided into four groups as respiratory, cardiovascular, other, and overall. Logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between BMI and adverse outcomes. Results When compared with normal BMI, obesity and overweight did not increase the risk of complications in any category, operative mortality, or prolonged LOS. In fact, the incidence of operative mortality and respiratory complications tended to be lower in overweight patients than in normal weight patients (P = 0.047 and P = 0.041, respectively). Conversely, underweight patients experienced significantly more operative mortality, respiratory complications, and prolonged LOS (P = 0.004, P = 0.011, and P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions Obesity and overweight did not confer adverse surgical outcomes. Underweight patients presented increased risk of respiratory complications, perioperative death, and prolonged LOS. Thus, overweight and obesity should not be a relative contraindication for lobectomy. Meanwhile, nurses and surgeons should focus on perioperative management of underweight patients