Association between self-reported functional capacity and major adverse cardiac events in patients at elevated risk undergoing noncardiac surgery: a prospective diagnostic cohort study

Br J Anaesth. 2021 Jan;126(1):102-110. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.08.041. Epub 2020 Oct 17.

Abstract

Background: Perioperative cardiovascular guidelines endorse functional capacity estimation, based on 'cut-off' daily activities for risk assessment and climbing two flights of stairs to approximate 4 metabolic equivalents. We assessed the association between self-reported functional capacity and postoperative cardiac events.

Methods: Consecutive patients at elevated cardiovascular risk undergoing in-patient noncardiac surgery were included in this predefined secondary analysis. Self-reported ability to walk up two flights of stairs was extracted from electronic charts. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death and cardiac events at 30 days. Secondary endpoints included the same composite at 1 yr, all-cause mortality, and myocardial injury.

Results: Among the 4560 patients, mean (standard deviation) age 73 (SD 8 yr) yr, classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status ≥3 in 61% (n=2786/4560), the 30-day and 1-yr incidences of major adverse cardiac events were 5.7% (258/4560) and 11.2% (509/4560), respectively. Functional capacity less than two flights of stairs was associated with the 30-day composite endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23-2.15) and all other endpoints. The addition of functional capacity information to the revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) significantly improved risk classification (functional capacity plus RCRI vs RCRI: net reclassification improvement [NRI]Events 6.2 [95% CI 3.6-9.9], NRINonevents19.2 [95% CI 18.1-20.0]).

Conclusions: In patients at high cardiovascular risk undergoing noncardiac surgery, self-reported functional capacity less than two flights of stairs was independently associated with major adverse cardiac events and all-cause mortality at 30 days and 1 yr. The addition of self-reported functional capacity to surgical and clinical risk improved risk classification.

Clinical trial registration: INCT 02573532.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02573532.

Keywords: anaesthesia; mortality; perioperative medicine; postoperative complications; preoperative care; risk assessment; surgery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Exercise Tolerance*
  • Female
  • Heart Failure / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Self Report*
  • Switzerland / epidemiology

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02573532