Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) often lead to increased patient morbidity and mortality, hospital length of stay and resource utilization. As many as 35 risk factors associated with PPCs have been identified. Yet little has been done to systematically develop the list of risk factors into a practical predictive model for clinical use. A model building study will be used to prospectively examine individual risk factors associated with the development of a PPC in subjects undergoing an abdominal surgical procedure. Risk factors which are accessible to the nurse in the preoperative, intraoperative and immediate postoperative setting will be used. These risk factors will be used in the development of a predictive model for PPCs and the model will be tested in an independent sample. Three institutions will be used for data collection and the target population is adults who will undergo a scheduled abdominal surgical procedure. A sample size of 540 is projected over the course of 14 months. A multi-criteria outcome of PPC will be used and 16 risk factors will be assessed:age, sex, smoking history, body mass index, mobility, level of consciousness, length of stay prior to surgery, history of lung disease, history of other disease(s), preoperative respiratory therapy, anesthesia risk, duration of anesthesia, location and type of surgical procedure, incision direction and nasogastric tube. Logistic regression analysis will be used to examine the risk factors for univariate effects on PPC and to develop the multivariate model. A split sample technique will be used to test the predictive model. The sensitivity and specificity of the model will be assessed.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32NR006776-02
Application #
2258566
Study Section
National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group (NRRC)
Project Start
1993-06-01
Project End
Budget Start
1993-06-01
Budget End
1994-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
Department
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
005436803
City
Indianapolis
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
46202
Brooks-Brunn, J A (2000) Risk factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications following total abdominal hysterectomy. Clin Nurs Res 9:27-46
Brooks-Brunn, J A (1998) Validation of a predictive model for postoperative pulmonary complications. Heart Lung 27:151-8
Brooks-Brunn, J A (1995) Postoperative atelectasis and pneumonia: risk factors. Am J Crit Care 4:340-9;quiz 350-1
Brooks-Brunn, J A (1995) Postoperative atelectasis and pneumonia. Heart Lung 24:94-115