Inpatient Step Counts, Symptom Severity, and Perceived Health Status After Lung Resection Surgery

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Clinical Nursing

Background:

• The clinical significance of daily step counts for patients undergoing lung surgery is not well-established.
• Understanding factors influencing physical activity post-lung resection is crucial for recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors associated with inpatient physical activity (step count) in lung surgery patients.
• To examine the relationship between step count and symptom severity/health status at admission, discharge, and one month post-discharge.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 73 patients undergoing lung resection surgery were monitored for inpatient step count using accelerometers.
• Patient-reported outcomes including symptom severity (dyspnea, fatigue, pain) and health status were assessed at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• Patients were categorized as active (35) or sedentary (38) based on daily step counts.
• Sedentary patients exhibited significantly worse dyspnea and fatigue scores throughout hospitalization and follow-up.
• The sedentary group also reported increased pain at discharge and follow-up compared to active patients.

Conclusions:

• Inpatient step count may serve as a predictor for symptom severity and perceived health status post-lung resection.
• Low physical activity during hospitalization is linked to poorer outcomes in the short term after surgery.