Slower Walking Speed Forecasts Increased Postoperative Morbidity and 1-Year Mortality Across Surgical Specialties

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the timed up-and-go test and postoperative morbidity and one-year mortality, and to compare the timed up-and-go to the standard-of-care surgical risk calculators for prediction of postoperative complications.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, patients 65 years and older undergoing elective colorectal and cardiac operations with a minimum of one-year follow-up were included. The timed up-and-go test was performed preoperatively. This timed test starts with the subject standing from a chair, walking ten feet, returning to the chair, and ends after the subject sits. Timed up-and-go results were grouped: Fast≤10 sec, Intermediate=11-14 sec, Slow≥15 sec. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare the three timed-up-and-go groups to current standard-of-care surgical risk calculators at forecasting postoperative complications.

Results

This study included 272 subjects (mean age of 74±6 years). Slower timed up-and-go was associated with an increased postoperative complications following colorectal (fast-13%, intermediate-29% and slow-77%;p<0.001) and cardiac (fast-11%, intermediate-26% and slow-52%;p<0.001) operations. Slower timed up-and-go was associated with increased one-year mortality following both colorectal (fast-3%, intermediate-10% and slow-31%;p=0.006) and cardiac (fast-2%, intermediate-3% and slow-12%;p=0.039) operations. Receiver operating characteristic area under curve of the timed up-and-go and the risk calculators for the colorectal group was 0.775 (95% CI:0.670,0.880) and 0.554 (95% CI:0.499,0.609), and for the cardiac group was 0.684 (95% CI:0.603,0.766) and 0.552 (95% CI:0.477,0.626).

Conclusions

Slower timed up-and-go forecasted increased postoperative complications and one-year mortality across surgical specialties. Regardless of operation performed, the timed up-and-go compared favorably to the more complex risk calculators at forecasting postoperative complications.