Impact of the preoperative body composition indexes on intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy

Purposes This study sought to identify any significant predictors of blood loss during pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) among preoperative variables, including the body composition indexes. Methods The preoperative data of patients undergoing PD were retrospectively reviewed. The objective variable was the percentage of blood loss during PD to the estimated circulating blood volume (proportional blood loss: PBL). The circulating blood volume was estimated using Nadler’s formula. The total psoas area, average Hounsfield units of psoas area (psoas muscle density: PMD), and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR) were measured at the third vertebra using preoperative plain computed tomography images. A univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis for PBL were conducted using the preoperative variables. Results A total of 415 patients were analyzed. The median PBL was 24.5%. The PMD (coefficient − 0.267; 95% CI − 0.518, − 0.015), VSR (coefficient 2.719; 95% CI 0.238, 5.201), serum albumin level (coefficient − 8.458; 95% CI − 13.02, − 3.898), neoadjuvant therapy (coefficient 9.605; 95% CI 1.722, 17.49), and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR, coefficient 38.63; 95% CI 10.94, 66.31) were independently associated with PBL. Conclusions The preoperative PMD, VSR, serum albumin level, neoadjuvant therapy, and PT-INR independently affected PBL. These factors could therefore be potential targets to reduce blood loss during PD.