The pre-operative endurance shuttle walk test for assessing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in patients undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery

<bold>Background:</bold> Lung surgery is the most common approach for treating lung cancer. This operation results in postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and causes of a higher morbidity, mortality, and increase the length of hospital stay. Therefore, it is essential to assess the risk of patients before lung surgery by using the endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT), which was recommended for a similar cardiovascular response to that of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). <bold>Objective:</bold> To investigate the correlation between the pre-operative ESWT and PPCs for assessing the risk of patients undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) <bold>Methods:</bold> Sixty-one patients in this prospective cohort study performed ESWT before undergo VATS. The tested speed is based on 85% of the maximum speed achieved by the results of an incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT). Then, PPCs are recorded on the first day after surgery and continue until the patients are discharged from the hospital. <bold>Results:</bold> There is a statistically significant negative correlation between PPCs and the distance of the ESWT (r=-0.373, p=0.003), the duration of the ESWT (r=-0.502, p<0.001). In addition, the statistically significant positive correlation is also found between PPCs and age (r=-0.366, p=0.004). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> ESWT is a safe and efficient exercise test for predicting the PPCs after VATS. Therefore, this test can be used as one of the guidelines and standards for screening for the risk of PPCS after VATS.