Prognostic Value of Effort-independent Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Variables for Postoperative Complications After Elective Colorectal Surgery

November 22, 2022 updated by: VieCuri Medical Centre
A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is increasingly used for preoperative risk assessment. Oxygen uptake (VO2) at peak exercise (VO2peak) and VO2 at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VO2VAT) are the most commonly used preoperative CPET variables that are associated with postoperative outcomes following colorectal cancer surgery. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between preoperative submaximal and effort-independent CPET variables and postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer surgery. Specifically, the slope of the relation between minute ventilation and carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2-slope) and the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) will be investigated.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

After resection for colorectal carcinoma, >30% of the patients develop a complication during admission or within 30 days after surgery. Several studies indicate that preoperative aerobic fitness, as objectively measured by a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test, is associated with postoperative complications, in which a lower aerobic fitness indicates a higher risk for complications. The most used CPET variables, oxygen uptake (VO2) at peak exercise (VO2peak) and VO2 at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VO2VAT), have specific limitations. For a valid VO2peak, a maximal effort is required and VO2VAT determination is subjective and cannot be determined in all patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore the association of submaximal (effort-independent) preoperative CPET variables that are determinable in all patients, specifically the relation between minute ventilation and carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO2-slope) and the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES), and postoperative outcomes in patient undergoing colorectal surgery.

Participants An explorative study will be carried out using retrospectively collected data from patients who underwent preoperative CPET in Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST), Máxima Medical Center (MMC), Maastricht University Medical Center+ (MUMC+), and VieCuri Medical Center (VMC).

Patient characteristics and outcome measures The following baseline patient characteristics will be collected: sex, age, body height, body mass, body mass index (BMI), nutritional status assessed by the short nutritional assessment questionnaire (SNAQ) score, smoking status (current, former, never), use of beta-blocker (yes/no), veterans-specific activity questionnaire score, location, type and stage of the tumor, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (I-IV), Charlson comorbidity index (divided into three groups: 0, 1, and 2+), and type of surgical resection.

CPET data will be interpreted by two trained and experienced clinical exercise physiologists. The variables VO2peak, VO2VAT, VE-VCO2-slope, and OUES will be determined.

Outcome measures of interest are postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery and length of hospital stay. The severity of any postoperative complication will be scored using the Clavien-Dindo classification of complications (grade 1-5). A postoperative complication is defined as a Clavien-Dindo grade of 1 or higher. A grade 3-5 complication is defined as a severe complication.

Statistical analysis Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis will be used to assess the independent ability of the VO2peak (mL/kg/min), VO2VAT (mL/kg/min), VE/VCO2-slope, and OUES normalized for body mass (OUES/kg) to discriminate between patients with and without 30-day postoperative complications. The optimal cut-off point is based on our preference to have primarily a high sensitivity (>0.8) with a reasonable specificity (>0.5), as we aim to detect almost all high-risk patients that might benefit from a preoperative intervention (e.g., exercise prehabilitation). Forward stepwise multivariable logistic regression analyses will be performed to investigate the prognostic value of VO2peak, VO2VAT, VE/VCO2-slope, and OUES/kg for 30-day postoperative complications separately for all complications (Clavien-Dindo grade of 1 or higher) and severe complication (Clavien-Dindo grade of 3-5). In case the baseline demographics are associated with 30-day postoperative complications (p<0.200), they will be tested for their association with VO2peak, VO2VAT, VE/VCO2-slope, and OUES/kg (p<0.200) using Pearson's r or Spearman's rho correlation coefficients, or paired sample t-tests, Mann Whitney U test, or one-way ANOVA, as appropriate. The logistic regression models will be adjusted for the potential confounders in a forward stepwise procedure.

Based on the optimal cut of points extracted from the ROC curves for each CPET variable, Kaplan-Meijer curves will be constructed to evaluate the univariate relationship between VO2peak, VO2VAT, VE/VCO2-slope, and OUES/kg and length of hospital stay. The Log-rank test will be used to compare survival curves.

Data will be analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows (version 23.0; IBM, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Continuous data will be presented as mean with standard deviation, or as median with interquartile range (IQR), as appropriate. Categorical data will be summarized by frequency and percentage. A p-value <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

114

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Limburg
      • Venlo, Limburg, Netherlands, 5995BL
        • VieCuri Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with colorectal cancer stage I-III who underwent elective surgery in in Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST) Maxima Medical Center (MMC), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC), VieCuri Medical Center (VMC) and underwent preoperative CPET.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who had a preoperative CPET and who underwent elective colorectal surgery and where, > 18 years (MMC, VMC) or ≥60 years (MST), with a score ≤7 metabolic equivalents on the veterans-specific activity questionnaire (MST, MUMC+,VMC).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who participated in exercise prehabilitation prior to surgery

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Patients with colorectal cancer
Patients with colorectal cancer who underwent elective surgery.
Patients underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test prior to surgery.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Postoperative complications
Time Frame: 30 days postoperative
Postoperative complications scored using Clavien-Dindo clasification gade (1-5)
30 days postoperative

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Length of stay
Time Frame: 60 days
Duration of hospital stay post surgery
60 days
Readmissions
Time Frame: 30 days postoperative
Readmissions due to complicated course related to the surgical procedure.
30 days postoperative

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 15, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 15, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

October 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 8, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 8, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

April 15, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 23, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 22, 2022

Last Verified

August 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2022_052

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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