Comprehensive abdominal composition evaluation of rectal cancer patients with anastomotic leakage compared with body mass index-matched controls

Table 1 Comparison of demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics in patients with anastomotic leakage and controls, n (%)

Variable	Controls (n = 78)	AL patients (n = 78)	P value
Male sex	57 (71.3)	57 (71.3)	1.000
Age, mean (SD), yr	58.23 (9.46)	56.82 (10.54)	0.380
Height, mean (SD), cm	166.23 (7.92)	166.87 (7.34)	0.601
Weight, mean (SD), kg	63.41 (11.62)	65.40 (11.39)	0.282
Operative time, mean (SD), min	207.17 (40.80)	225.03 (55.29)	0.023
Laparoscopic surgery	77 (98.7)	76 (97.4)	1.000
Location of tumor, mean (SD), cm	7.86 (3.39)	8.22 (3.59)	0.507
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy	50 (64.1)	54 (69.2)	0.497
Cleansing enema	57 (73.1)	60 (76.9)	0.579
Indwelling trans-anal tube	73 (93.6)	68 (87.2)	0.174
Indwelling drainage tube	72 (92.3)	74 (94.9)	0.746
Tumorous obstruction	1 (1.3)	6 (7.7)	0.053
Cigarette smoking	24 (30.8)	35 (44.9)	0.098
Alcohol use	14 (17.9)	21 (26.9)	0.249
Hypertension	20 (25.6)	19 (24.4)	1.000
Diabetes	10 (12.8)	11 (14.1)	1.000
Previous abdominal surgery	11 (14.1)	5 (6.4)	0.186
Preoperative antibiotics	75 (76.2)	72 (92.3)	0.303
Hemoglobin, mean (SD), g/L	132.60 (16.31)	123.32 (21.17)	0.003
Albumin, mean (SD), g/L	40.52 (3.97)	38.34 (4.01)	0.001
Neoadjuvant therapy	1 (1.3)	3 (3.8)	0.620
Tumor size, mean (SD), cm	2.76 (1.28)	4.07 (1.36)	< 0.001
ASA score			0.049
1	17 (21.86)	9 (11.5)
2	56 (71.8)	56 (71.8)
3	5 (6.4)	13 (16.7)
Stage			< 0.001
1	67 (85.9)	19 (24.4)
2	5 (6.4)	33 (42.3)
3	6 (7.7)	26 (33.3)
Number of linear stapler firings			0.393
1	38(48.7)	37 (47.4)
2	39 (50.0)	37 (47.4)
3	1 (1.3)	4 (5.1)
Stoma	20 (25.6)	18 (23.1)	0.852

SD: Standard deviation; ASA: American Society of Anesthesiologists; AL: Anastomotic leakage.

Table 2 Comparison of abdominal parameters in patients with anastomotic leakage and controls

Variables	Controls (n = 78)	AL patients (n = 78)	P value
BMI (SD), kg/m2	23.05 (3.05)	23.17 (2.88)	0.797
AC, mean (SD), cm	87.00 (10.94)	89.71 (14.20)	0.120
SFA, mean (SD), cm2	108.72 (54.12)	113.72 (55.87)	0.571
SFT, mean (SD), mm	18.68 (8.20)	18.03 (7.31)	0.601
SMA, mean (SD), cm2	127.89 (29.57)	132.06 (33.40)	0.410
SMI, mean (SD), cm2/m2	46.00 (8.81)	47.10 (10.57)	0.482
VFA, mean (SD), cm2	97.03 (57.66)	125.68 (73.59)	0.008
APD, mean (SD), mm	92.09 (26.40)	77.30 (23.23)	< 0.001
TD, mean (SD), cm	24.21 (2.90)	22.90 (2.23)	0.002

BMI: Body mass index; SD: Standard deviation; AC: Abdominal circumference; SFA: Subcutaneous fat area; SFT: Subcutaneous fat thickness; SMA: Skeletal muscle area; SMI: Skeletal muscle index (SMA/height²); VFA: Visceral fat area; APD: Anterior to posterior diameter of abdominal cavity; TD: Transverse diameter of abdominal cavity; AL: Anastomotic leakage.