Preoperative Exercise Testing Is a Better Predictor of Postoperative Complications than Pulmonary Function Testing for Patients with Lung Cancer

Atsushi Hata¹, Yasuo Sekine^1*, Eitetsu Koh¹, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi²

¹Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Women’s Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, Yachiyo, Japan.
²Division of Clinical Physiology, Tokyo Women’s Medical University Yachiyo Medical Center, Yachiyo, Japan.

DOI: 10.4236/ojts.2015.51004                

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the feasibility of exercise testing (ET) for predicting postoperative complications in patients with impaired pulmonary function. Methods: Thirteen patients were prospectively enrolled. The enrollment criteria were FEV1.0% < 70% and emphysema score > 8 by the Goddard classification or interstitial pneumonia on chest computed tomography. Patients underwent testing for pulmonary function, six-minute walking test (6MWT), and stair-climbing test (SCT). Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications (PCPCs) were recorded. Results: Four patients developed PCPCs. There were no significant differences between the patients with PCPCs (n = 4) and those without PCPCs (n = 9) for background data and PFT. The distances achieved in the 6MWT were 503 ± 72.7 m for patients without PCPCs and 369 ± 50.7 m for patients with PCPCs (p = 0.011). The SCT climbing heights were 20.4 ± 5.3 m for patients without PCPCs and 14.9 ± 4.0 m for patients with PCPCs (P = 0.187). Cut-off points, including a 6MFT distance of less than 400 m, SCT height lower than 15 m, and SCT climbing speed less than 8.5 m/min, were predictive of CPCP. Conclusions: Exercise testing is more feasible for predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications than stationary pulmonary function testing.

Keywords

Lung Cancer, Exercise Testing, Postoperative Complication, Pulmonary Function Testing

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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