Effects of comprehensive geriatric assessment-guided nursing interventions on postoperative complications/recovery in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal or hepatobiliary surgery

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population (concurrent retrospective cohort, April 2025 to December 2025), mean ± SD/n (%)

Variable	Control (n = 38)	Observation (n = 40)	P value
Age (years)	71.8 ± 6.2	70.5 ± 5.8	0.342
Male	25 (65.8)	24 (60.0)	0.594
NRS-2002 score	2.8 ± 1.7	2.6 ± 1.5	0.573
Barthel Index	72.5 ± 14.8	74.2 ± 15.1	0.613
CCI score	2.4 ± 1.4	2.5 ± 1.3	0.738
MMSE score	24.1 ± 3.8	24.5 ± 3.6	0.627
Surgery type			0.996
Gastric cancer	12 (31.6)	13 (32.5)
Colorectal cancer	15 (39.5)	16 (40.0)
Hepatocellular carcinoma	7 (18.4)	7 (17.5)
Benign hepatobiliary	4 (10.5)	4 (10.0)

Both groups were drawn concurrently from April 2025 through December 2025 within the same ward and by the same clinical teams. NRS-2002: Nutritional Risk Screening 2002; CCI: Charlson Comorbidity Index; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination.

Table 2 Primary and secondary outcomes by study group (univariate analysis), mean ± SD/n (%)

Outcome	Control (n = 38)	Observation (n = 40)	P value
Complication rate (Clavien-Dindo ≥ II)	21 (55.3)	11 (27.5)	0.013a
Length of stay, days	20.8 ± 4.6	16.2 ± 4.2	< 0.001b
Postoperative infection	12 (31.6)	10 (25.0)	0.519
Postoperative delirium	8 (21.1)	5 (12.5)	0.310
30-day readmission	7 (18.4)	2 (5.0)	0.076
ICU transfer	7 (18.4)	4 (10.0)	0.290

^aP < 0.05.

^bP < 0.001.

ICU: Intensive care unit.

Table 3 Complication distribution by Clavien-Dindo grade, n (%)

CD grade	Control (n = 38)	Observation (n = 40)	Total
No complication	17 (44.7)	29 (72.5)	46
Grade II	14 (36.8)	4 (10.0)	18
Grade IIIa	4 (10.5)	4 (10.0)	8
Grade IIIb	2 (5.3)	2 (5.0)	4
Grade IV	1 (2.6)	1 (2.5)	2
Grade V (death)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0
Total ≥ grade II	21 (55.3)	11 (27.5)	32

CD: Clavien-Dindo.

Table 4 Multivariate logistic regression analysis for postoperative complications

Variable	Adjusted OR	95%CI	P value
CGA intervention (vs control)	0.35	0.14-0.87	0.024a
Age (per year)	1.06	0.99-1.14	0.089
NRS-2002 ≥ 3 (vs < 3)	2.28	0.89-5.84	0.086
Barthel Index < 80 (vs ≥ 80)	1.75	0.68-4.51	0.247
CCI ≥ 3 (vs < 3)	2.56	1.02-6.43	0.045a
MMSE < 24 (vs ≥ 24)	1.58	0.59-4.23	0.364

^aP < 0.05.

Hosmer-Lemeshow χ² = 4.86, P = 0.772. All variance inflation factor < 2.5. CGA: Comprehensive geriatric assessment; NRS-2002: Nutritional Risk Screening 2002; CCI: Charlson Comorbidity Index; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.

Table 5 Multivariate linear regression analysis for hospital length of stay

Variable	Adjusted β	95%CI	P value
Intercept	7.85	4.62-11.08	< 0.001c
CGA intervention	-3.68	-5.72 to -1.64	0.001b
Age (per year)	0.11	0.01-0.21	0.032a
Complication (yes)	5.45	3.28-7.62	< 0.001c
CCI ≥ 3	1.98	0.42-3.54	0.014a

^aP < 0.05.

^bP < 0.01.

^cP < 0.001.

Model R² = 0.512. All variance inflation factor < 2.5. CGA: Comprehensive geriatric assessment; CCI: Charlson Comorbidity Index; CI: Confidence interval.