The Impact of Frailty on ERCP-Related Adverse Events: Findings From a National Cohort

Background and Aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an invasive procedure that has evolved from being primarily diagnostic to predominantly therapeutic, leading to an increased potential for ERCP-related adverse events. Frailty is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes, and its impact on ERCP-related outcomes requires investigation. This study evaluated the impact of frailty on ERCP-related adverse events. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2019 was used to identify adult patients who underwent ERCP. Frailty was defined using the Frailty Risk Score. Outcomes were categorized into procedure-related adverse events, sedation-related adverse events, and hospitalization outcomes. Multivariate linear or logistic regression was used as appropriate. Stata, version 14.2, was used to perform analyses considering a 2-sided P < 0.05 to be statistically significant. Results: Among a total of 693,730 ERCPs performed, 870,30 (12.54%) were frail. Frail patients had higher odds of procedure-related adverse events, including hemorrhage (9.1/1000 vs 4.9/1000) and duodenal perforation, but not post-ERCP pancreatitis, bile duct perforation, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. Frailty imparted a higher risk of sedation-related respiratory failure, aspiration pneumonia, and the requirement of intubation and mechanical ventilation. Inpatient mortality was higher among frail patients (4.54% vs 1.03%), and they had prolonged hospital stays and higher hospitalization costs. Conclusion: Frailty is associated with worse outcomes in patients undergoing ERCP, with higher risks of hemorrhage and sedation-related adverse events, in addition to increased resource utilization. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest strict adherence to guidelines governing anticoagulant management during the peri-endoscopic period, and sedative administration should be carefully monitored. Preprocedural optimization measures and diligent monitoring can minimize resource utilization and decrease periprocedural morbidity.