Impact of nutritional support on immunity, nutrition, inflammation, and outcomes in elderly gastric cancer patients after surgery

Table 1 Comparison of basic characteristics of patients in the two groups, n (%)

Feature	Nutritional support group (n = 60)	Control group (n = 60)	P value
Age	75.2 ± 3.1	74.8 ± 3.5	0.412
Gender: Male/female	32/28	30/30	0.754
Pathological type
Adenocarcinoma	50 (83.3)	48 (80.0)	0.623
Mucinous adenocarcinoma	7 (11.7)	9 (15.0)	0.521
Other	3 (5.0)	3 (5.0)	1.000
Surgical approach
Radical resection	55 (91.7)	56 (93.3)	0.654
Gastrectomy	5 (8.3)	4 (6.7)	0.754

Table 2 Change trends of immune function indicators

Time point	Percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes in nutritional support group	Percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes in control group	CD4+/CD8+ ratio in nutritional support group	CD4+/CD8+ ratio in control group	Immunoglobulin G (g/L) in nutritional support group	Immunoglobulin G (g/L) in control group	Z value	P value
2 wk after surgery	35.2 ± 4.5	35.1 ± 4.7	1.2 ± 0.2	1.1 ± 0.1	10.5 ± 2.3	10.8 ± 2.1	2.37	< 0.05
4 wk after surgery	38.7 ± 4.2	37.8 ± 4.1	1.4 ± 0.3	1.3 ± 0.2	12.1 ± 2.5	11.5 ± 2.3	2.74	< 0.05
6 wk after surgery	39.8 ± 5.2	32.6 ± 4.2	1.5 ± 0.3	1.1 ± 0.2	15.2 ± 2.7	12.5 ± 2.4	3.14	< 0.05

Table 3 Trends in nutritional status

Time point	Weight (kg) in nutritional support group	Weight (kg) in control group	BMI in nutritional support group	BMI in control group	Z value	P value
2 wk after surgery	65.8 ± 3.5	66.1 ± 3.2	24.5 ± 1.8	24.7 ± 1.7	1.53	< 0.05
4 wk after surgery	66.1 ± 3.7	64.8 ± 3.5	24.8 ± 1.9	24.2 ± 1.8	-3.27	< 0.05
6 wk after surgery	66.2 ± 3.8	64.5 ± 3.4	24.9 ± 2.0	23.8 ± 1.9	-1.43	< 0.05

BMI: Body mass index.

Table 4 Change trends of inflammatory response indicators

Time point	C-reactive protein (mg/L) in nutritional support group	C-reactive protein (mg/L) in control group	White blood cell count (× 109/L) in nutritional support group	White blood cell count (× 109/L) in control group	Z value	P value
2 wk after surgery	3.2 ± 0.8	3.1 ± 0.7	6.2 ± 1.1	6.1 ± 1.0	2.25	< 0.05
4 wk after surgery	3.4 ± 1.0	3.6 ± 0.9	6.3 ± 1.2	6.8 ± 1.1	-2.53	< 0.05
6 wk after surgery	3.5 ± 1.0	4.0 ± 1.2	6.5 ± 1.3	7.2 ± 1.2	1.52	< 0.05

Table 5 Trends in clinical outcomes

Time point	Length of stay (d) in nutritional support group	Length of stay (d) in control group	Infection rate (%) in nutritional support group	Infection rate (%) in control group	Z value	P value
2 wk after surgery	10.5 ± 2.3	11.8 ± 2.5	15.0%	22.5%	2.11	< 0.05
4 wk after surgery	9.1 ± 1.8	10.7 ± 2.1	12.5%	18.3%	-2.74	< 0.05
6 wk after surgery	8.3 ± 1.8	12.2 ± 2.7	10.0%	25.0%	1.63	< 0.05