CRP as an early indicator for anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy for cancer: a single tertiary gastro-esophageal center study

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) as an early indicator of anastomotic leakage (AL) after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. METHODS: We reviewed patients diagnosed with esophageal or esophagogastric junctional cancer who underwent esophagectomy between 2006 and 2022 at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated relative risk for AL by calculating the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The cut-off values for CRP were based on the maximum Youden’s index using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: In total, 612 patients were included, with 464 (75.8%) in the non-AL (N-AL) group and 148 (24.2%) in the AL group. Preoperative body mass index and the proportion of patients with the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification 3 were significantly higher in the AL group than in the N-AL group. The median day of AL occurrence was the postoperative day (POD) 8. Trends in CRP levels from POD 2 to 3 and POD 3 to 4 were significantly higher in the AL than in the N-AL group. An increase in CRP of ≥ 4.65% on POD 2 to 3 was an independent risk factor for AL with the highest OR of 3.67 (95% CI 1.66–8.38, p = 0.001) in patients with CRP levels on POD 2 above 211 mg/L. CONCLUSION: Early changes in postoperative CRP levels may help to detect AL early following esophageal cancer surgery. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00423-023-03176-w.