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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 10/2020

01-10-2020 | Esophagus Resection | Thoracic Oncology

The Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing as a Risk Assessment Tool in Patients Undergoing Oesophagectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Authors: Jonathan Sivakumar, MBBS, PGDipSurgAnat, MS, Harry Sivakumar, MBBS, BMedSci (Hons), Matthew Read, MBBS, FRACS, Rhona C. F. Sinclair, BMedSci, BMBS, MPhil, MRCP, FRCA, Chistopher P. Snowden, MBBS, FRCA, MD, Michael W. Hii, MBBS, BMedSci, PGDipSurgAnat, FRACS

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 10/2020

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Abstract

Introduction

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is an objective method of assessing functional capacity to meet the metabolic demands of surgery and has been adopted as a preoperative risk-stratification tool for patients undergoing major procedures. The two main measures are the peak rate of oxygen uptake during exercise (\(\dot{{\text{V}}}\)O2peak) and anaerobic threshold (AT), the point at which anaerobic metabolism exceeds aerobic metabolism during exercise. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the predictive value of CPET for patients undergoing oesophagectomy.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted in databases of CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus to identify studies that examined associations between preoperative CPET variables and postoperative outcomes following oesophagectomy. Results were presented as standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval.

Results

Seven studies were included in this review. Preoperative \(\dot{{\text{V}}}\)O2peak moderately correlated with cardiopulmonary complications [SMD = − 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) − 0.77 to − 0.09; p = 0.013; I2 = 80.4%], unplanned ICU admissions (SMD = − 0.34; 95% CI − 0.60 to − 0.08; p = 0.011; I2 = 0.0%), and 1-year survival (SMD = 0.31; 95% CI 0.02–0.61; p = 0.045; I2 = 0.0%). Preoperative AT values moderately correlated with unplanned ICU admissions (SMD = − 0.34; 95% CI − 0.61 to − 0.07; p = 0.014; I2 = 0.0%), and 1-year survival (SMD = 0.34; 95% CI 0.00–0.68; p = 0.049; I2 = 7.4%). Neither \(\dot{{\text{V}}}\)O2peak nor AT demonstrated prognostic value for noncardiopulmonary complications.

Conclusions

\(\dot{{\text{V}}}\)O2peak and AT, where measured by preoperative CPET testing, are inversely associated with postoperative cardiopulmonary complications, unplanned ICU admissions, and 1-year survival following oesophagectomy. This meta-analysis was not able to identify an absolute cutoff value for CPET variables to discriminate between patients of varying levels of operative risk.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing as a Risk Assessment Tool in Patients Undergoing Oesophagectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors
Jonathan Sivakumar, MBBS, PGDipSurgAnat, MS
Harry Sivakumar, MBBS, BMedSci (Hons)
Matthew Read, MBBS, FRACS
Rhona C. F. Sinclair, BMedSci, BMBS, MPhil, MRCP, FRCA
Chistopher P. Snowden, MBBS, FRCA, MD
Michael W. Hii, MBBS, BMedSci, PGDipSurgAnat, FRACS
Publication date
01-10-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 10/2020
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-020-08638-9

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