The usefulness of preoperative exocrine function evaluated by the ¹³C-trioctanoin breath test as a significant physiological predictor of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background: The association between pancreatic fistula (PF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and preoperative exocrine function is yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the preoperative results of the ¹³C-trioctanoin breath test and the occurrence of PF, showing the clinical relevance of the breath test in predicting PF. Method: A total of 80 patients who underwent ¹³C-trioctanoin breath tests prior to PD from 2006 to 2018 were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to reveal the preoperative predictors of PF, showing the association between ¹³C-trioctanoin absorption and PF incidence. Results: Among 80 patients (age, 68.0 ± 11.9 years, 46 males and 34 females; 30 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [PDAC]/50 non-PDAC patients), the incidence of PF was 12.5% (10/80). Logistic regression analysis results revealed that the frequency of PF increased significantly as the ¹³C-trioctanoin breath test value (Aa% dose/h) increased (odd’s ratio: 1.082, 95% confidence interval: 1.007–1.162, p = 0.032). Moreover, the optimal cutoff value of the preoperative fat absorption level to predict PF was 38.0 (sensitivity, 90%; specificity, 74%; area under the curve, 0.78; p = 0.005). Indeed, the incidence of PF was extremely higher in patients whose breath test value was greater than 38.0 (33%, 9/27) compared with that in patients with values less than 38.0 (1.8%, 1/53). Conclusions: Favorable preoperative fat absorption evaluated using the ¹³C-trioctanoin breath test is a feasible and objective predictor of PF after PD.