Risk factors for abdominal surgical infectious complications after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial (JCOG0912)

Background: Abdominal surgical infectious complications (ASIC) after gastrectomy for gastric cancer impair patients' survival and quality of life. JCOG0912 was conducted to compare laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with open distal gastrectomy for clinical stage IA or IB gastric cancer. The present study aimed to identify risk factors for ASIC using prospectively collected data. Methods: We performed a post -hoc analysis of the risk factors for ASIC using the dataset from JCOG0912. All complications were evaluated according to the Clavien-Dindo classification (CD). ASIC was defined as CD grade I or higher anastomotic leakage, pancreatic fistula, abdominal abscess, and wound infection. Analyses were performed using the logistic regression model for univariable and multivariable analyses. Results: A total of 910 patients were included (median age, 63 years; male sex, 61 %). Among them, ASIC occurred in 5.8 % of patients. In the univariable analysis, male sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.855, P = 0.003), diabetes (OR 2.565, P = 0.029), and Roux-en-Y (R-Y) reconstruction (vs. Billroth I, OR 2.707, P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for ASIC. In the multivariable analysis, male sex (OR 2.364, P = 0.028) and R-Y reconstruction (vs. Billroth I, OR 2.310, P = 0.015) were independent risk factors for ASIC. Conclusions: Male sex and R-Y reconstruction were risk factors for ASIC after distal gastrectomy. Therefore, when performing surgery on male patients or when R-Y reconstruction is selected after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, surgeons should pay special attention to prevent ASIC.