Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a potentially life-threatening complication that occurs in the setting of rapid tumor cell destruction. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a valuable tool to identify frailty in older individuals, signifying a decline in physiological reserves and coping ability due to age-related deterioration, and it has gained recognition as a crucial factor linked to adverse events, including mortality, hospitalization, and diminished functional outcomes. We aimed to assess the impact of HFRS on individuals admitted with a primary diagnosis of TLS.

Using weighted data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 to 2020, we assessed the outcomes (mortality, hospital utilization, total healthcare charges, complications) of individuals admitted with a primary diagnosis of TLS stratified by the presence and absence of Frailty (determined by the combination of 109 ICD-10 codes each with a different score) (table 1). Baseline characteristics were analyzed using T-test and Chi-Square, and a multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate outcomes between races, adjusted for patient and hospital confounders. Data analysis was performed using STATA® Version 17.0/SE Software, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

A total of 4,340 were admitted with a primary diagnosis of TLS from 2016 to 2020, among these, we selected 1,330 admissions aged 75 years or older; these admissions included 59% (N=785) with frailty, and 41% (N=545) without frailty. Frailty was associated with increased length of stay (adjusted mean difference (aMD) = 2.5 days, 95%CI: 1.2 - 3.8 days), and total healthcare expenditures (aMD = 22,541 U.S. dollars (USD), 95%CI: 2,175 - 42,908 USD). Pertaining to the outcomes, a 9- fold increase in the odds of mortality were noted among individuals with frailty, as opposed to those without frailty (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 8.93, 95%CI: 1.79 - 44.74).

Our study depicts the significant impact of frailty on individuals hospitalized with TLS, revealing associations with elevated mortality rates, prolonged length of hospital stay, and increased healthcare costs. Considering a considerable portion of cancer patients fall within the elderly demographic and often present with multiple comorbidities, the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a potential valuable tool for assessing the appropriateness of chemotherapy in conjunction with other scores like the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Moreover, the HFRS may aid in prognosticating disease outcomes, offering clinicians valuable insights to inform treatment decisions and improve patient care.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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2023
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