OBJECTIVETo explore the related factors of anastomotic leakfollowing anterior resection for the rectal cancer and the association of the preoperative nutritional risk screening 2002(NRS2002) score.

METHODSClinical data of 396 rectal cancer patients who underwent elective anterior resection from January 2010 to July 2015 at Affiliated Lu'an Hospital of Anhui Medical University were collected. Patient's nutritional risk score on admission was calculated by NRS2002 scoring system according to original medical records. NRS2002 score less than 3 was defined as nutritious risk. Chi-squared test, or Fisher exact test and multivariate logistic regression wereused to analyze the association of the clinical pathological factors and NRS2002 risk factor with anastomotic leak.

RESULTSOf the 396 patients, NRS2002 score≥3, and anastomotic leak occurred in 157(39.6%) and 13(3.3%), respectively. In univariate analysis, different ages, NRS2002 score, preoperative intestinal obstruction, distance from anastomosis to anal vergeand tumor TNM stage were significantly associated with postoperative anastomotic leak(all P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative anastomotic leak among patients with NRS2002 score≥3 was significantly higher than those with NRS2002 score<3[6.4%(10/157) vs. 1.3%(3/239), χ(2)=7.806, P=0.005]. Multivariate analysis showed that NRS2002 score≥3(OR=3.988, 95% CI:1.004-15.837, P=0.049), existence of preoperative intestinal obstruction(OR=5.780, 95% CI:1.320 ~ 25.311, P=0.020),distance from anastomosis to anal verge≤5 cm(OR=0.236, 95% CI: 0.071 ~ 0.785, P=0.019) were the independent risk factors of anastomotic leak following anterior resection for the rectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONRectal cancer patients undergoing anterior resection with preoperative NRS2002 score≥3 should receive reasonable perioperative nutritional support to prevent anastomotic leak.