We studied 320 patients aged >70聽y underwent curative resections for NSCLC. LA was calculated based on the formula provided by the Japanese Respiratory Society, which depended on the patient's preoperative respiratory function and was divided into four age gap (AG) groups between the LA and the true age (TA). The categorical data were compared among the four groups.
The numbers of patients in groups A, B, C, and D were 80, 77, 79, and 84, respectively. For the univariate analysis, the preoperative factors for postoperative complications were gender, AG, and smoking (P聽<聽0.05). In a multivariate analysis, AG proved to be an independent factor. Although we found no significant differences, there was a tendency for the prognosis to worsen with an increase in the AG (P聽=聽0.06).
The AG was significantly associated with and an independent predictive factor for postoperative complications. We conclude that LA and AG are useful factors for predicting the risk of postoperative complications.