Influence of lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) on health related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A randomized trial comparing lung-volume-reduction surgery with medical therapy for severe emphysema. Comparison of lung volume reduction surgery and physical training on health status and physiologic outcomes: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Effect of lung-volume-reduction surgery in patients with severe emphysema. Postoperative pulmonary function in coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients undergoing early tracheal extubation: a comparison between short-term mechanical ventilation and early extubation. Nurse led follow up and conventional medical follow up in management of patients with lung cancer: randomised trial. Effects of counseling for late stage cancer patients. Effect of a preoperative intervention on preoperative and postoperative outcomes in low-risk patients awaiting elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. A randomized, controlled trial.
The clinical value of LVRS has been questioned in the absence of trials comparing it with pulmonary rehabilitation, the prevailing standard of care in COPD. Patients with heterogeneous emphysema are more likely to benefit from volume reduction than those with homogeneous disease. Disease specific quality of life is a responsive interpretable outcome that enables health professionals to identify the magnitude of the effect of an intervention across several domains.
                Non-smoking patients aged <75 years with severe COPD (FEV(1) <40% predicted, FEV(1)/FVC <0.7), hyperinflation, and evidence of heterogeneity were randomised to surgical or control groups after pulmonary rehabilitation and monitored at 3 month intervals for 12 months with no crossover between the groups. The primary outcome was disease specific quality of life as measured by the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ). Treatment failure was defined as death or functional decline (fall of 1 unit in any two domains of the CRQ). Secondary outcomes included pulmonary function and exercise capacity.
                LVRS resulted in significant between group differences in each domain of the CRQ at 12 months (change of 0.5 represents a small but important difference): dyspnoea 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3 to 2.6; p<0.0001); emotional function 1.5 (95% CI 0.9 to 2.1; p<0.0001); fatigue 2.0 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.6; p<0.0001); mastery 1.8 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.5; p<0.0001). In the control group one of 27 patients died and 16 experienced functional decline over 12 months. In the surgical group four of 28 patients died and three experienced functional decline (hazard ratio = 3.1 (95% CI 1.3 to 7.6; p=0.01). Between group improvements (p<0.05) in lung volumes, flow rates, and exercise were sustained at 12 months (RV -47% predicted (95% CI -71 to -23; p=0.0002); FEV(1) 0.3 l (95% CI 0.1 to 0. 5; p=0.0003); submaximal exercise 7.3 min (95% CI 3.9 to 10.8; p<0.0001); 6 minute walk 66 metres (95% CI 32 to 101; p=0.0002).
                In COPD patients with heterogeneous emphysema, LVRS resulted in important benefits in disease specific quality of life compared with medical management, which were sustained at 12 months after treatment. Lung-volume-reduction surgery has been proposed as a palliative treatment for severe emphysema. Effects on mortality, the magnitude and durability of benefits, and criteria for the selection of patients have not been established.
                A total of 1218 patients with severe emphysema underwent pulmonary rehabilitation and were randomly assigned to undergo lung-volume-reduction surgery or to receive continued medical treatment.
                Overall mortality was 0.11 death per person-year in both treatment groups (risk ratio for death in the surgery group, 1.01; P=0.90). After 24 months, exercise capacity had improved by more than 10 W in 15 percent of the patients in the surgery group, as compared with 3 percent of patients in the medical-therapy group (P<0.001). With the exclusion of a subgroup of 140 patients at high risk for death from surgery according to an interim analysis, overall mortality in the surgery group was 0.09 death per person-year, as compared with 0.10 death per person-year in the medical-therapy group (risk ratio, 0.89; P=0.31); exercise capacity after 24 months had improved by more than 10 W in 16 percent of patients in the surgery group, as compared with 3 percent of patients in the medical-therapy group (P<0.001). Among patients with predominantly upper-lobe emphysema and low exercise capacity, mortality was lower in the surgery group than in the medical-therapy group (risk ratio for death, 0.47; P=0.005). Among patients with non-upper-lobe emphysema and high exercise capacity, mortality was higher in the surgery group than in the medical-therapy group (risk ratio, 2.06; P=0.02).
                Overall, lung-volume-reduction surgery increases the chance of improved exercise capacity but does not confer a survival advantage over medical therapy. It does yield a survival advantage for patients with both predominantly upper-lobe emphysema and low base-line exercise capacity. Patients previously reported to be at high risk and those with non-upper-lobe emphysema and high base-line exercise capacity are poor candidates for lung-volume-reduction surgery, because of increased mortality and negligible functional gain.
                Copyright 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society In 1996, researchers in Sweden initiated a collaborative randomized study comparing lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) and physical training with physical training alone. The primary end point was health status; secondary end points included survival and physiologic measurements.
                After an initial 6-week physical training program, researchers' patients were randomized to either LVRS (surgical group [SG]) with continued training for 3 months, or to continued training alone (training group [TG]) for 1 year.
                All seven thoracic surgery centers in Sweden.
                All patients in Sweden with severe emphysema fulfilling inclusion criteria for LVRS.
                Patients randomized to surgery underwent a median sternotomy, except for a few patients in whom thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopy were performed. In the TG, supervised physical training continued for 1 year; in the SG, supervised physical training continued for 3 months postoperatively.
                Fifty-three patients were included in each group. Six in-hospital deaths occurred after surgery (12%), and one more death occurred during follow-up. Two deaths occurred in the TG. The difference in death rates between the groups was not statistically significant. Health status, as measured by St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) [total scale score mean difference at 1 year, 14.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 9.8 to 19.7] as well as by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey (physical function scale score mean difference at 1 year, 19.7; 95% CI, 12.1 to 27.3) was improved from baseline in the SG compared with the TG. FEV(1), residual volume, and shuttle walking test values also improved in the SG but not in the TG after 6 months and 12 months.
                In severe emphysema, LVRS can improve health status in survivors but is associated with mortality risk. The effects are stable for at least 1 year. Physical training alone failed to achieve a similar improvement. Although many patients with severe emphysema have undergone lung-volume-reduction surgery, the benefits are uncertain. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial of the surgery in patients with emphysema. Patients with isolated bullae were excluded because such patients are known to improve after bullectomy.
                Potentially eligible patients were given intensive medical treatment and completed a smoking-cessation program and a six-week outpatient rehabilitation program before random assignment to surgery or continued medical treatment. After 15 patients had been randomized, the entry criteria were modified to exclude patients with a carbon monoxide gas-transfer value less than 30 percent of the predicted value or a shuttle-walking distance of less than 150 m, because of the deaths of 5 such patients (3 treated surgically and 2 treated medically).
                Of the 174 subjects who were initially assessed, 24 were randomly assigned to continued medical treatment and 24 to surgery. At base line in both groups, the median forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was 0.75 liter, and the median shuttle-walking distance was 215 m. Five patients in the surgical group (21 percent) and three patients in the medical group (12 percent) died (P=0.43). After six months, the median FEV1 had increased by 70 ml in the surgical group and decreased by 80 ml in the medical group (P=0.02). The median shuttle-walking distance increased by 50 m in the surgical group and decreased by 20 m in the medical group (P=0.02). There were similar changes on a quality-of-life scale and similar changes at 12 months of follow-up. Five of the 19 surviving patients in the surgical group had no benefit from the treatment.
                In selected patients with severe emphysema, lung-volume-reduction surgery can improve FEV1, walking distance, and quality of life. Whether it reduces mortality is uncertain. To evaluate the effect of a short period of mechanical ventilation (3 hours) versus immediate extubation (within 1 hour of surgery) on pulmonary function, gas exchange, and pulmonary complications after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.
                Prospective randomized study.
                University teaching hospital.
                Thirty-five patients undergoing CABG surgery.
                Patients were randomized into 2 groups. Patients in group I were extubated as soon as possible after surgery. Patients in group II were ventilated for a minimum of 3 hours after surgery. Patients in both groups were extubated only after achieving predetermined extubation criteria. Patients who did not meet the criteria for extubation within the predetermined set time limit (90 minutes in group I and 6 hours in group II) were withdrawn from the study. Pulmonary function tests (vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, total lung capacity, functional residual capacity), arterial blood gases, and chest radiographs were done preoperatively and postoperatively. Pulmonary complications were recorded.
                Demographic data were similar between groups. The mean time to extubation in group I was 45.7 plus minus 27.6 minutes and in group II was 201.4 plus minus 21 minutes (p < 0.01). Two patients in group I and 1 patient in group II did not meet the extubation criteria within the predetermined set time limit and were excluded from the study. In both groups, there was a significant decline in pulmonary function but no differences between groups at 24 or 72 hours after surgery. There were no differences between groups in blood gases, atelectasis scores, or pulmonary complications.
                The data suggest that extending mechanical ventilation after CABG surgery does not affect pulmonary function. Provided that routine extubation criteria are met, patients can be safely extubated early (within 1 hour) after major cardiac surgery without concerns of further pulmonary derangement.
                Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. To assess the effectiveness of nurse led follow up in the management of patients with lung cancer.
                Randomised controlled trial.
                Specialist cancer hospital and three cancer units in southeastern England.
                203 patients with lung cancer who had completed their initial treatment and were expected to survive for at least 3 months.
                Nurse led follow up of outpatients compared with conventional medical follow up. Outcome measures: Quality of life, patients' satisfaction, general practitioners' satisfaction, survival, symptom-free survival, progression-free survival, use of resources, and comparison of costs.
                Patient acceptability of nurse led follow up was high: 75% (203/271) of eligible patients consented to participate. Patients who received the intervention had less severe dyspnoea at 3 months (P=0.03) and had better scores for emotional functioning (P=0.03) and less peripheral neuropathy (P=0.05) at 12 months. Intervention group patients scored significantly better in most satisfaction subscales at 3, 6, and 12 months (P<0.01 for all subscales at 3 months). No significant differences in general practitioners' overall satisfaction were seen between the two groups. No differences were seen in survival or rates of objective progression, although nurses recorded progression of symptoms sooner than doctors (P=0.01). Intervention patients were more likely to die at home rather than in a hospital or hospice (P=0.04), attended fewer consultations with a hospital doctor during the first 3 months (P=0.004), had fewer radiographs during the first 6 months (P=0.04), and had more radiotherapy within the first 3 months (P=0.01). No other differences were seen between the two groups in terms of the use of resources.
                Nurse led follow up was acceptable to lung cancer patients and general practitioners and led to positive outcomes. Much has been written about working with the dying. Few, if any, controlled studies have examined the application of principles set forth. The authors evaluate the effectiveness of working with dying cancer patients by assessing changes in quality of life, physical functioning, and survival. One-hundred twenty men with end-stage cancer were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups; the 62 experimental group patients were seen regularly by a counselor. Patients were assessed before random assignment and at one, three, six, nine, and 12 months on quality of live and functional status. Experimental group patients improved significantly more than the control group on quality of life within three months. Functional status and survival did not differ between groups. A subsample of lung cancer patients provided cross-validation of findings. Although survival was not expected to differ, it was predicted that functioning would be enhanced if quality of life improved. One interpretation is that little can be done to alter physical function and survival when intervention occurs late in the progression of a fatal disease. This in no way reduces the value of improving overall quality of life, since enhancing the quality of survival for end-stage cancer patients is a high priority medical goal. In publicly funded health care systems, a waiting period for such services as coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is common. The possibility of using the waiting period to improve patient outcomes should be investigated.
                To examine the effect of a multidimensional preoperative intervention on presurgery and postsurgery outcomes in low-risk patients awaiting elective CABG.
                Randomized, controlled trial.
                A regional cardiovascular surgery center in a tertiary care hospital, southwestern Ontario, Canada.
                249 patients on a waiting list for elective CABG whose surgeries were scheduled for a minimum of 10 weeks from the time of study recruitment.
                During the waiting period, the treatment group received exercise training twice per week, education and reinforcement, and monthly nurse-initiated telephone calls. After surgery, participation in a cardiac rehabilitation program was offered to all patients.
                Postoperative length of stay was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were exercise performance, general health-related quality of life, social support, anxiety, and utilization of health care services.
                Length of stay differed significantly between groups. Patients who received the preoperative intervention spent 1 less day [95% CI, 0.0 to 1.0 day] in the hospital overall (P = 0.002) and less time in the intensive care unit (median, 2.1 hours [CI, -1.2 to 16 hours]; P = 0.001). During the waiting period, patients in the intervention group had a better quality of life than controls. Improved quality of life continued up to 6 months after surgery. Mortality rates did not differ.
                The waiting period for elective procedures, such as CABG, may be used to enhance in-hospital and early-phase recovery, improving patients' functional abilities and quality of life while reducing their hospital stay.
The evidence summarised in this review is drawn from one large study, and several smaller trials. The findings from the large study indicated that in patients who survive up to three months post-surgery, there were significantly better health status and lung function outcomes in favour of surgery compared with usual medical care. Patients identified post hoc as being of high risk of death from surgery were those with particularly impaired lung function and poor diffusing capacity and/or homogenous emphysema. Further research should address the effect of this intervention on exacerbations and rate of decline in lung function and health status.