Frailty Assessed with FRAIL Scale and G8 Questionnaire Predicts Severe Postoperative Complications in Patients Receiving Major Head and Neck Surgery

Introduction: Frailty represents a complex geriatric syndrome associated with elevated rates of postoperative complications as shown for several malignant entities, including head and neck cancer. A specific screening instrument to assess frailty in head and neck patients does not exist. Both the FRAIL Scale and the G8 questionnaire are well-established and easy to use as screening tools. The present study’s aim was to assess the potential of frailty screening to predict postoperative complications in head and neck patients prior to surgery. Patients and methods: We recorded demographic data, pre-existing medical conditions and clinical characteristics in a prospective cohort of 104 head and neck cancer patients undergoing major head and neck surgery and assessed frailty prospectively on the day of admission utilizing the G8 questionnaire and the FRAIL Scale. We analyzed the link between occurrence of postoperative complications up to the twenty-first postoperative day and age, frailty and other covariates using χ(2) tests and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: There was no significant correlation between patients’ pre-existing medical conditions and postoperative complications. Whereas chronological age alone did not predict the occurrence of postoperative complications, frailty posed the highest risk for complications. Frailty according to either the G8 questionnaire or the FRAIL Scale predicted occurrence of complications with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.64 (p = 0.018) and 0.62 (p = 0.039) and severe complications with an AUC of 0.72 (p = 0.014) and 0.69 (p=0.031), respectively. Neither frailty score correlated with age or with each other. Conclusion: Prospective screening using the FRAIL Scale or the G8 questionnaire reliably detected frailty in our sample group. Frailty is linked to increased risk of postoperative complications. The correct prediction of severe postoperative complications as shown identifies vulnerable cases and triggers awareness of potential complications. Anticipating risk allows for a more comprehensive view of the patient and triggers decision making towards risk adjustment, and therefore a selective view of alternative treatment modalities.