Postoperative physical performance, degree of pain and fatigue after acute high-risk abdominal surgery
| Variable | No. (%) of patients*† | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POD 1 n = 47 | POD 2 n = 47 | POD 3 n = 47 | POD 4 n = 37 | POD 5 n = 33 | POD 6 n = 31 | POD 7 n = 24 | Discharge n = 44 | |
| Time out of bed, h, mean ± SD | 5.0 (4.6)f | 6.5 (4.3)e | 7.3 (4.6)d | 7.2 (5.2)b | 7.5 (5.8)b | 7.1 (5.3)b | 8.3 (5.4)b | – |
| Walking aid‡ | 40 (85) | 39 (83) | 35 (75) | 30 (81) | 22 (67) | 19 (61) | 15 (63) | 7 (16) |
| CAS < 6 points (nonindependently mobilized) | 21 (45) | 15 (32) | 13 (28) | 13 (35) | 11 (33) | 8 (26) | 5 (21) | 1 (2) |
| CST, no. of times standing up from chair, mean ± SD | – | – | 4.8 (4.9)c | – | 4.0 (4.6)a | – | 4.9 (6.0) | 9.2 (5.4)a |
| BI, points, median (IQR) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 95 (80–100) | 100 (98–100) |
| NRS 5–10 points (moderate-to-high pain) | 7 (15) | 10 (21) | 1430a | 1439a | 929b | 930a | 9 (38) | 1 (2) |
| VAFS 5–10 points (moderateto-high fatigue) | 33 (75)c | 32 (70)a | 31 (67)a | 29 (85)c | 24 (77)b | 20 (71)c | 16 (70)a | 23 (53)a |
BI = Barthel Index; CAS = Cumulated Ambulation Score; CST = Chair Stand Test; IQR = interquartile range; NRS = Numeric Rating Scale; POD = postoperative day; SD = standard deviation; VAFS = Visual Analog Fatigue Scale.
↵* Unless indicated otherwise.
↵† Missing data for an = 1, bn = 2, cn = 3, dn = 4, en = 6 and fn = 30.
↵‡ Uses a high walking frame (with wheels and upper body support), rollator or walking sticks.