Inflammation, functional status, and weight loss during recovery from cardiac surgery in older adults: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the nutritional, inflammatory, and functional aspects of unintentional weight loss after cardiac surgery that warrant further investigation. Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty community-dwelling adults ≥ 65 years old undergoing cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass graft [CABG] or CABG + valve) were recruited for this prospective longitudinal (preoperative and 4-6 weeks postdischarge) pilot study. Anthropometrics (weight, standing height, and mid-arm and calf circumference), nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Assessment™ [MNA]), appetite, physical performance (timed chair stand), muscle strength (hand grip) and functional status (basic and instrumental activities of daily living), and inflammatory markers (plasma leptin, ghrelin, interleukin [IL]-6, high-sensitivity[hs] C-reactive protein, and serum albumin and prealbumin) were measured. Results: Participants who completed the study (n = 11 males, n = 3 females) had a mean age 70.21 ± 4.02 years. Of these, 12 lost 3.66 ± 1.44 kg over the study period. Weight, BMI, activities of daily living, and leptin decreased over time (p