Geriatric Syndrome After Surgery Linked to Adverse Outcomes in Seniors

FRIDAY, Nov. 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, development of geriatric syndrome (GS) after a major surgical procedure is associated with adverse short- and long-term outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Andrea Baldo, M.D., from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, and colleagues examined the impact of postoperative GS on days at home (DAH) after discharge, mortality, and complications among Medicare beneficiaries who underwent a major surgical procedure between 2016 and 2021.

The researchers found that 10.9 percent of the 780,337 patients developed new-onset GS. Older age, high Charlson Comorbidity Index, and emergency procedures were independent predictors of GS (odds ratios, 1.03, 1.61, and 1.57, respectively), as was procedure type (e.g., odds ratio, 3.86 for pancreatectomy versus abdominal aortic aneurysm repair). Markedly higher risks for 30-day complications, prolonged hospitalization, and non-home discharge were seen in association with new-onset GS (hazard ratios, 3.53, 5.37, and 3.90, respectively). Fewer median DAH within 90 days were seen for patients with GS (66 versus 82.5, respectively); patients with GS and concurrent postoperative complications had the lowest DAH (52 days). There was also an association seen for new-onset GS with an increased risk for one-year mortality (hazard ratio, 2.32).

“A geriatric syndrome can be a “canary in the coal mine,” signaling a patient”s underlying vulnerability,” senior author Timothy M. Pawlik, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., also from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical College, said in a statement. “It”s crucial we don”t dismiss these events as just a normal part of “getting older.””

Abstract/Full Text