The Prognostic Nutritional Index is a Predictive Marker for Postoperative Complications in Patients with Late‐Onset Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Purpose The number of patients with late‐onset ulcerative colitis (UC) requiring surgery has increased in recent years. The risk of postoperative complications is higher in the elderly, so preoperative assessment is important. We aimed to explore the performance of preoperative assessment of nutritional markers for predicting postoperative complications in patients with late‐onset UC. Methods We retrospectively analysed 140 medically refractory UC patients who underwent surgery. The association between age at UC onset and risk of postoperative complications was explored using a fractional polynomial model. Uni‐ and multi‐variate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify nutritional markers associated with postoperative complications. Results The polynomial model showed patients with UC onset after 50 years of age had an increased risk of postoperative complications. Late‐onset (LO) UC, an onset occurring after 50 years old, was associated with a higher risk of incisional surgical site infection (SSI) and intra‐abdominal abscess than early‐onset (EO) UC. Compared with the EO group, the LO group had fewer nutritional markers that were significantly associated with postoperative complications. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) was calculated using the albumin level and the total lymphocyte count, and it was the only index that was significant in the LO group (odds ratio 0.872 95% CI 0.77–0.99, P = 0.03). Conclusions It was more difficult to use nutritional status to predict the risk of postoperative complications in patients with late‐onset UC than in patients with early‐onset ulcerative colitis. PNI may be a useful nutritional marker for patients with both late‐ and early‐onset UC.