Factors Associated with Postoperative Recovery among Lung Cancer Patients with Walking Exercise after Lung Resection

ABSTRACT

Background@#Treatment for lung cancer, which has high incidence and mortality rates, involves lung resection; however, the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications is high. Early walking exercise is a core strategy for preventing complications and promoting postoperative recovery, which is essential for returning to everyday life. This study aims to identify the factors associated with the postoperative recovery of patients who performed walking exercises in an intensive care unit after having a lung resection. @*Methods@#This cross-sectional study collected data from 90 patients on the day before discharge at a tertiary hospital in Seoul between April and June 2019. Patients’ postoperative recovery was measured using the Postoperative Recovery Profile. @*Results@#The mean score for postoperative recovery was 0.70±0.41 out of 3, 0 being none of the problems. Among the five subcategories, the psychological dimension had the highest recovery level at 0.57±0.58, while physical symptoms were rated lowest at 0.89±0.50. As a result of regression analysis, employment status (β=4.353, P=0.005), symptoms of nausea and vomiting during walking (β=0.596, P=0.043), and perceived exertion during walking (β=1.105, P=0.007) were associated with postoperative recovery. @*Conclusions@#The study indicated unemployed patients, those with more nausea and vomiting, and those who perceived severe exertion during walking showed lower perceived postoperative recovery levels. Not only multidisciplinary, patient-tailored interventions to facilitate return to work after surgery but also interventions to control physical symptoms actively should be developed and implemented to achieve higher postoperative recovery levels. Patients also need to exercise at an appropriate subjective level of perceived exertion.