Introduction: Patients, clinicians and researchers seek an easy, reproducible and valid measure of postoperative recovery. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a low-cost measure of physical function, which is a relevant dimension of recovery. The aim of the present study was to contribute further evidence for the validity of the 6MWT as a measure of postoperative recovery after colorectal surgery.

Methods: This study involved a sample of 174 patients enrolled in three previous randomized controlled trials. Construct validity was assessed by testing the hypotheses that the distance walked in 6 min (6MWD) at 4 weeks after surgery is greater (1) in younger versus older patients, (2) in patients with higher preoperative physical status versus lower, (3) after laparoscopic versus open surgery, (4) in patients without postoperative complications versus with postoperative complications; and that 6MWD (5) correlates cross-sectionally with self-reported physical activity as measured with a questionnaire (CHAMPS). Statistical analysis was performed using linear regression and Spearman's correlation. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to guide the formulation of hypotheses and reporting of results.

Results: One hundred and fifty-one patients who completed the 6MWT at 4 weeks after surgery were included in the analysis. All hypotheses tested for construct validity were supported by the data. Older age, poorer physical status, open surgery and occurrence of postoperative complications were associated with clinically relevant reduction in 6MWD (>19 m). There was a moderate positive correlation between 6MWD and patient-reported physical activity (r = 0.46).

Conclusions: This study contributes further evidence for the construct validity of the 6MWT as a measure of postoperative recovery after colorectal surgery. Results from this study support the use of the 6MWT as an outcome measure in studies evaluating interventions aimed to improve postoperative recovery.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00464-015-4478-1DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

postoperative recovery
20
measure postoperative
16
recovery colorectal
12
construct validity
12
postoperative complications
12
six-minute walk
8
walk test
8
postoperative
8
validity 6mwt
8
6mwt measure
8

Similar Publications

Perfusion Capacity as a Predictive Index for Assessing Visual Functional Recovery in Patients With Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane.

Transl Vis Sci Technol

January 2025

State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, China.

Purpose: This study investigates the association between visual function and retinal vasculature metrics, particularly perfusion capacity (PC), in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM), using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods: This retrospective study includes 30 eyes from 30 iERM patients who had surgery, with a three-month follow-up period. In addition, 28 eyes from 28 healthy individuals served as a control group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Identifying muscles linked to postoperative physical function can guide protocols to enhance early recovery following total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aimed to evaluate the association of preoperative pelvic and thigh muscle volume and quality with early physical function after THA in patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: Preoperative Computed tomography (CT) images of 61 patients (eight males and 53 females) with HOA were analyzed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Women undergoing breast cancer surgery frequently experience postsurgical pain and fatigue, which reduces their quality of life. Although psychological factors have been shown to play a role in predicting postsurgical outcomes, the subacute recovery phase often remains underexplored. In this secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial, we sought to investigate the predictive role of negative affect and experiential avoidance on postsurgical symptoms during both acute and subacute recovery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Very low levels of physical activity among patients hospitalized following hip fracture surgery: a prospective cohort study.

Disabil Rehabil

January 2025

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Research - Copenhagen (PMR-C), Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Clinical Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark.

Purpose: The evidence supports early and intensive mobilization and physical activity for patients who are hospitalized following hip fracture. The objectives were to determine levels of physical activity among patients hospitalized following hip fracture surgery, and to explore the association between levels of physical activity and 30-day post-discharge readmission, and mortality.

Materials And Methods: We collected data at two university hospitals in Denmark from March-June 2023.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Gastroparesis following complete mesocolic excision (CME) can precipitate a cascade of severe complications, which may significantly hinder postoperative recovery and diminish the patient's quality of life. In the present study, four advanced machine learning algorithms-Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and -nearest neighbor (KNN)-were employed to develop predictive models. The clinical data of critically ill patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) post-CME were meticulously analyzed to identify key risk factors associated with the development of gastroparesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!