Frailty in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm predicts prognosis after elective endovascular aneurysm repair

Objective: The diagnostic criteria for frailty in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are undefined. Our purpose was to examine the influence of new diagnostic criteria for frailty on overall survival after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data for patients undergoing EVAR between 2007 and 2015. Isolated common iliac artery aneurysm and ruptured AAA were excluded. Patients were defined as having frailty when they had at least two of low Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, sarcopenia, or nonambulatory status. We examined whether frailty affected overall survival, postoperative complications, and reintervention. Results: Over the study period, 349 patients underwent EVAR. Thirty-three patients were excluded. The 5-year overall survival after EVAR was 76.7% for the frailty-negative group vs 43.1% for the frailty-positive group (P <.01). Age, frailty-positive status, and current cancer therapy were risk factors for overall survival. Positive frailty was the only risk factor for postoperative complications. Forty-two patients underwent reintervention. Outside instructions for use was a risk factor for reintervention after EVAR. Conclusions: Assessing frailty in patients with AAA is useful for determining risk factors for 5-year overall survival and postoperative complications.