Introduction. Functional capacity is important parameter of activity of a person. It can be assessed with different methods, including interviewing, walk tests, cardiopulmonary exercise testing. According to the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology, the assessment of functional capacity is an important step in the perioperative management of a patient with concomitant cardiovascular pathology during non-cardiac surgery. Purpose of our study was to implement assessing of functional capacity in clinical practice, including perioperative management of patients. And also, to compare the practical value of self-reported methods of assessing functional capacity and exercise testing. Materials and methods. 15 healthy men aged 33±5.4 years and 172 patients with documented pathology of the cardiovascular system aged 65±2.8 years were included in the study, among them 51% were male. We compared the value of different methods and the expediency of assessing the functional capacity of a patient with concomitant pathology of the cardiovascular system before planned non-cardiac surgery. Results. All healthy individuals gave a positive answer to the question about ability to climb two flights of stairs. The average Duke Activity Status Index score was 52.47±5.96, which corresponded to the calculated value of METs 9.19±0.73. During cardiopulmonary exercise testing, the average value of VO2max in these individuals was 47.56±11.34 mL/(kg·min). A direct strong correlation between Duke Activity Status Index values and VO2max was established (r=0.91, р˂0.01). 36 patients (21%) reported inability to climb two flights of stairs added. The average DASI in these persons was 12.84±4.38 and the level of NTproBNP was 1116±75. On the contrary in the rest of the patients the DASI was 28.18±7.72 and NTproBNP 302±42 with statistically significant difference (p˂0.01). The dynamics of troponins in the examined subjects did not show any increase in the postoperative period. The values of the EF in patients reported inability to climb two flights were lower by 9.78% compared with others (56.57±12.34% and 62.71±6.35%, p˂0.01). The average number of days spent in the hospital was 22 in patients with inability to climb two flights and 12 in the rest. 32 patients (19%) died, 28 deceased belonged to the group with inability to climb two flights of stairs. The average time of death was 29.86 days. Correlation analysis revealed a direct relationship of average strength between the Duke Activity Status Index and EF (0.42, p 0.007), an inverse relationship of average strength between the Duke Activity Status Index and NTproBNP (-0.42, p=0.01) and the number of days spent in a hospital (-0.39, p=0.005). In conclusion we found that healthy men with an active lifestyle have higher average VO2max parameters and confirmed that the VO2max obtained during the cardiopulmonary exercise testing was comparable to questionnaire methods for assessing functional capacity. One fifth of patients with confirmed cardiovascular pathology self-reported inability to climb two flights of stairs. These individuals had a lower EF, a higher concentration of NTproBNP, a longer stay in the hospital, and significantly higher mortality. the Duke Activity Status Index correlates with left ventricular systolic function and NTproBNP level.
Abstract.
Introduction. Functional capacity is important parameter of activity of a person. It can be assessed with different methods, including interviewing, walk tests, cardiopulmonary exercise testing. According to the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology, the assessment of functional capacity is an important step in the perioperative management of a patient with concomitant cardiovascular pathology during non-cardiac surgery. Purpose of our study was to implement assessing of functional capacity in clinical practice, including perioperative management of patients. And also, to compare the practical value of self-reported methods of assessing functional capacity and exercise testing. Materials and methods. 15 healthy men aged 33±5.4 years and 172 patients with documented pathology of the cardiovascular system aged 65±2.8 years were included in the study, among them 51% were male. We compared the value of different methods and the expediency of assessing the functional capacity of a patient with concomitant pathology of the cardiovascular system before planned non-cardiac surgery. Results. All healthy individuals gave a positive answer to the question about ability to climb two flights of stairs. The average Duke Activity Status Index score was 52.47±5.96, which corresponded to the calculated value of METs 9.19±0.73. During cardiopulmonary exercise testing, the average value of VO2max in these individuals was 47.56±11.34 mL/(kg·min). A direct strong correlation between Duke Activity Status Index values and VO2max was established (r=0.91, р˂0.01). 36 patients (21%) reported inability to climb two flights of stairs added. The average DASI in these persons was 12.84±4.38 and the level of NTproBNP was 1116±75. On the contrary in the rest of the patients the DASI was 28.18±7.72 and NTproBNP 302±42 with statistically significant difference (p˂0.01). The dynamics of troponins in the examined subjects did not show any increase in the postoperative period. The values of the EF in patients reported inability to climb two flights were lower by 9.78% compared with others (56.57±12.34% and 62.71±6.35%, p˂0.01). The average number of days spent in the hospital was 22 in patients with inability to climb two flights and 12 in the rest. 32 patients (19%) died, 28 deceased belonged to the group with inability to climb two flights of stairs. The average time of death was 29.86 days. Correlation analysis revealed a direct relationship of average strength between the Duke Activity Status Index and EF (0.42, p 0.007), an inverse relationship of average strength between the Duke Activity Status Index and NTproBNP (-0.42, p=0.01) and the number of days spent in a hospital (-0.39, p=0.005). In conclusion we found that healthy men with an active lifestyle have higher average VO2max parameters and confirmed that the VO2max obtained during the cardiopulmonary exercise testing was comparable to questionnaire methods for assessing functional capacity. One fifth of patients with confirmed cardiovascular pathology self-reported inability to climb two flights of stairs. These individuals had a lower EF, a higher concentration of NTproBNP, a longer stay in the hospital, and significantly higher mortality. the Duke Activity Status Index correlates with left ventricular systolic function and NTproBNP level.
Keywords: noncardiac surgery, concomitant cardiovascular pathology, perioperative assessment, functional capacity