Ho VP, et al. - In this cross-sectional study, researchers characterized the distribution of procedures (colon, small bowel, gallbladder, ulcer disease, adhesiolysis, appendix, and laparotomy operations), comorbidities, and outcomes for older emergency general surgery (EGS) patients and used a data-driven approach (association rule mining) to identify comorbidity combinations associated with disproportionately high mortality. In total, 280,885 patient encounters were identified. Gallbladder (33.7%), ulcer surgery (21.5%), and adhesiolysis (21.0%) were the most common procedures. Coagulopathy, fluid and electrolyte disorders (FED), and peripheral vascular disease, and coagulopathy, FED, and chronic pulmonary disease were three-way comorbidity combinations most highly associated with mortality. Combinations of comorbidities pose an additional risk beyond single comorbidities for older patients, and the associated risk burden is driven by the specific constellation of comorbidities present.