C-Reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio: A Reliable Marker in Gastric Cancer Surgery

• Published in: Indian journal of surgery Vol. 83; no. 1; pp. 92 - 99
• Main Authors: Sert, Ozlem Zeliha, Bozkurt, Hilmi, Bulut, Ibrahim Can, Uzun, Orhan, Gulmez, Selcuk, Duman, Mustafa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 01.02.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Albumin; C-reactive protein; Cancer surgery; Cardiac Surgery; Gastric cancer; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurosurgery; Original Article; Pediatric Surgery; Plastic Surgery; Proteins; Stomach cancer; Surgery; Thoracic Surgery; C-reactive protein to albumin ratio; Albumin; C-reactive protein; Gastric cancer; Postoperative complications
• ISSN: 0972-2068; 0973-9793
• DOI: 10.1007/s12262-020-02310-y

We aim to evaluate the association between elevated postoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) and major complications in gastric cancer patients. A retrospective review was made of 177 patients who underwent a curative resection due to gastric cancer between 2013 and 2018. The cut-off level for CAR on postoperative 3rd day was determined based on a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The ROC curve analysis determined an optimal cut-off level of 5 g/dl (AUC, 0.680; p  = 0.001). The rate of postoperative complications was higher in patients with a CRP value of ≥5 g/dl (61.02%) ( p  < 0.001). Major complications occurred in 23 patients (38.98%) with a CAR of ≥ 5 g/dl on postoperative day 3 (p < 0.001). In addition, CAR was found to be higher in patients with longer operation durations and length of hospital stay ( p  = 0.046 and p  < 0.001, respectively) . Postoperative complications can be prevented in a timely manner, morbidity rates can be reduced, and thereby, patient quality of life can be improved by determining CAR in the early period.