Albumin and C-reactive protein levels predict short-term mortality after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in a prospective cohort study

BackgroundPercutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a procedure with many complications that sometimes can be devastating. To give better advice to patients referred for PEG regarding risk of complications, important risk factors should be known.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether age, body mass index, albumin levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, indication for PEG, and comorbidity influence the risk of mortality or peristomal infection after PEG insertion.DesignProspective cohort study from 2005 to 2009. Follow-up 14 days after PEG.SettingUniversity hospital.PatientsThis study involved 484 patients referred for PEG.InterventionPEG.Main Outcome MeasurementsMortality within 30 days and peristomal infection within 14 days after PEG insertion. All risk estimates were calculated with 95% CIs and adjusted for confounding.ResultsAmong 484 patients, 58 (12%) died within 30 days after PEG insertion. Albumin <30 g/L (hazard ratio [HR], 3.46; 95% CI, 1.75-6.88), CRP ≥10 (HR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.68-7.18), age ≥65 years (HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.20-4.25) and possibly body mass index <18.5 (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 0.97-4.31) were associated with increased mortality. Patients with a combination of low albumin and high CRP levels had a mortality rate of 20.5% compared with 2.6% among patients with normal values, rendering an over 7-fold increased adjusted risk of mortality (HR, 7.45; 95% CI, 2.62-21.19).LimitationsMissing data in some study variables. Although the sample size was large, weaker associations could not be established.ConclusionThe combination of low albumin and high CRP levels indicates a substantially increased short-term mortality risk after PEG, which should be considered in decision making.