Samsung Medical Center Study Highlights Phase Angle as Key Predictor in Abdominal Surgery Outcomes
Seoul, Sunday, 15 June 2025.
A study shows phase angle, from bioelectrical impedance, predicts complications post-surgery, with 53.5% lower PA patients facing more issues, highlighting its role in surgical care.
Understanding the Study and Its Findings
The investigation conducted at Samsung Medical Center sought to establish the prognostic value of phase angle (PA) as a predictive tool for postoperative complications in major abdominal surgeries. From July 2019 to April 2021, 122 adults participated in this prospective observational study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their preoperative PA values: those with a PA less than 5 and those with a PA of 5 or higher. Results indicated a notable difference in in-hospital complication rates between these groups, with a 53.5% complication rate in the lower PA group compared to 34.2% in the higher PA group. This indicates a relative risk factor of 1.6, supported by a statistically significant p-value of 0.038 [1].
Significance of Phase Angle in Clinical Assessment
Phase angle, derived via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), effectively measures cellular health and body composition by analyzing resistance and reactance values [GPT]. PA is gaining recognition as a viable surrogate marker for assessing frailty and nutritional status in the preoperative evaluation process. The study’s findings underscored the association between lower PA levels and a higher propensity for in-hospital complications, which include a range of adverse outcomes such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and pulmonary complications. Interestingly, while PA was a strong predictor for immediate adverse outcomes, it did not significantly correlate with one-year postoperative complications, thus maintaining utility primarily for short-term risk stratification [1].
Phase Angle Before and After Surgery: Implications for Practice
The study meticulously tracked PA at three crucial junctures: before surgery (PApre), immediately postoperatively (PApost), and one day after surgery (PAPOD1). Among these, PApre emerged as significantly associated with higher frailty indices and poor nutritional metrics, which are known predictors of surgical risk. Notably, patients with a lower PApre faced greater adverse outcomes compared to their higher PA counterparts, emphasizing the need for clinicians to incorporate PA measurement into preoperative assessments potentially [1]. Additionally, while PApre’s role in predicting long-term complications was limited, PApost and PAPOD1 showed better discriminatory power for predicting immediate postoperative complications [1].
Conclusion: PA as a Prognostic Tool for Enhanced Surgical Care
The study exemplifies how incorporating PA into standard preoperative evaluations can furnish surgeons with critical insights to tailor interventions for at-risk patients, ultimately enhancing overall patient outcomes in major abdominal surgeries. By acknowledging the prognostic value of PA, healthcare practitioners can potentially improve surgical decision-making and resource allocation, focusing on targeted interventions for patients predicted to bear a higher complication risk [1]. As the medical community continues to seek innovative ways to enhance patient care, the integration of PA measures could represent a significant leap forward in managing surgical risks effectively.