Postoperative Infectious Complications Impact Long-Term Survival in Patients Who Underwent Hepatectomies for Colorectal Liver Metastases: a Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Objective: Postoperative complications strongly impact the postoperative course and long-term outcome of patients who underwent liver resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Among them, infectious complications play a relevant role. The aim of this study was to evaluate if infectious complications still impact overall and disease-free survival after liver resection for CRLM once patients were matched with a propensity score matching analysis based on Fong’s criteria. Methods: A total of 2281 hepatectomies were analyzed from a multicentric retrospective cohort of hepatectomies. Patients were matched with a 1:3 propensity score analysis in order to compare patients with (INF+) and without (INF−) postoperative infectious complications. Results: Major resection (OR = 1.69 (1.01–2.89), p = 0.05) and operative time (OR = 1.1 (1.1–1.3), p = 0.05) were identified as risk factors of infectious complications. After propensity score matching, infectious complications are associated with overall survival (OS), with 1-, 3-, 5-year OS at 94, 81, and 66% in INF− and 92, 66, and 57% in INF+ respectively (p = 0.01). Disease-free survival (DFS) was also different with regard to 1-, 3-, 5-year survival at 65, 41, and 22% in R0 vs. 50, 28, and 17% in INF+ (p = 0.007). Conclusion: Infectious complications are associated with decreased overall and disease-free survival rates.