Identifying risk factors for postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory complications after major oral cancer surgery

Background Surgical resection of oral cancer can be associated with significant postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory complications that require more sensitive predictors. Methods All patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma treated from July 2005 to April 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The Goldman Revised Cardiac Risk Index (GRCRI) was used to predict cardiovascular complications. Other evidence-based a priori predictors were applied in an h-fold cross-validation model. Results Operating room (OR) time was an independent predictor of cardiovascular complications (odds ratio = 1.54, p =.002, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-2.02) and respiratory complications (odds ratio = 1.3, p =.06, 95% CI = 0.99-1.64) after multivariate adjustment. OR time and estimated blood loss predicted cardiovascular complications with 73% sensitivity. The GRCRI achieved 37% sensitivity. OR time and tracheostomy predicted respiratory complications with 75% sensitivity. Conclusions The GRCRI was not prognostic for cardiovascular complications in patients with oral cancer. The most sensitive predictors for cardiovascular complications were OR time and estimated blood loss; for respiratory complications they were OR time and tracheostomy.