Effect of preoperative physical activity on postoperative outcomes in esophageal cancer.
Kazuyuki Matsumura, Akiyoshi Takami, Shigeki Tajima and 3 others
PMID 39239411WHAT IT FOUND
In patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery, higher preoperative walking activity was associated with better postoperative physical activity, exercise tolerance, and daily living independence at discharge.
Key findings
01Preoperative step count correlated with age, nutritional status (GPS), and preoperative functional independence (FIM).
02Preoperative step count correlated with postoperative step counts (days 7-13 and at discharge), METs (days 7-9), and discharge outcomes including 6-minute walking distance and FIM.
03Preoperative METs showed no relationship with postoperative mobilization, physical activity, physical function, or ADLs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was small (n=30) and single-center, which limits generalizability. 23 patients were excluded due to incomplete data, introducing potential selection bias. The study design was observational, so it cannot prove that increasing preoperative steps causes better outcomes. The type of activity contributing to step count was not verified (e.g., walking vs. other movements). Postoperative nutritional intake was not assessed, though it is known to affect muscle mass loss. Preoperative METs did not correlate with outcomes, but the specific intensity or type of activities contributing to METs was not analyzed.
Declared interests
There are no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that prehabilitation interventions that increase overall energy expenditure (METs) without increasing walking steps will improve postoperative mobility. In this study, preoperative METs showed no relationship with any postoperative outcome, whereas step count did.