Impact of Preoperative Frailty on Postoperative Functional Recovery and Quality of Life in Elderly Patients With Gastrointestinal Tumors

AIM: To examine the impact of preoperative frailty levels on postoperative functional recovery and quality of life in elderly individuals with gastrointestinal tumors, thereby providing evidence to inform perioperative clinical management. METHODS: A total of 198 individuals aged ≥60 years who underwent radical resection of gastrointestinal tumors in the Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2019 to January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. The Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) was utilized to assess preoperative frailty; the Barthel Index was used to evaluate functional recovery at 30 and 90 days postoperatively; and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) was adopted to assess quality of life at 90 days postoperatively. Statistical analyses, such as chi-square test, logistic regression, and repeated measures analysis of variance, were performed. RESULTS: The incidence of preoperative frailty was 19.2%, mainly manifested in the physical domain. Age, severe comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥6 points), operative duration ≥180 minutes, and preoperative depression were identified as independent risk factors for preoperative frailty, while habit of regular exercise was a protective factor (p < 0.05). Postoperatively, both the Barthel Index and SF-12 scores in the frailty group were significantly lower compared to the non-frailty group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative frailty delays postoperative functional recovery and reduces quality of life in elderly individuals with gastrointestinal tumors. Our findings support the inclusion of TFI in routine preoperative assessment, coupled with the implementation of targeted interventions.