Key result
Preoperative walking speed >0.8 m/s linked to ~374% higher likelihood of early postoperative ambulation.
Why the study?
Factors associated with ambulation on postoperative day 1 and its impact on short-term postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery were not fully characterized.
Do preoperative walking speed and surgical factors predict early ambulation on postoperative day 1 in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery?
Cohort (n=122)
No
Do preoperative walking speed and surgical factors predict early ambulation on postoperative day 1 in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery?
Odds Ratio: 4.74 (95% CI 1.41–15.96)
p-value: p=0.01
Preoperative walking speed > 0.80 m/s, shorter operative times, and specific surgical procedures are independent predictors of early ambulation on postoperative day 1, which is associated with shorter hospital stays and lower in-hospital mortality after abdominal cancer surgery.
Early ambulation may improve short-term outcomes after abdominal cancer surgery; hypothesis-generating for preoperative frailty markers pending RCTs.
PURPOSE: To analyze the factors associated with ambulation on postoperative day 1 (POD1) in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. As a secondary objective, the study aimed to investigate the impact of early ambulation on the occurrence of short-term postoperative outcomes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included patients who underwent elective abdominal cancer surgery between April 2024 and July 2025. Preoperative handgrip strength (HGS) and walking speed, measured using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MeWT), were assessed preoperatively. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with early ambulation. RESULTS: A total of 122 patients were included in the study, of whom 93 (76.2%) ambulated for the first time on POD1. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with a preoperative walking speed > 0.80 m/s (OR 4.74; 95% CI 1.41-15.96; p = 0.01), those who underwent gastrectomy (OR 8.20; 95% CI 1.36-49.32; p = 0.02), rectosigmoidectomy (OR 6.99; 95% CI 1.48-32.91; p = 0.01), and those with shorter operative times (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98-0.99; p = 0.02) were independently associated with early ambulation. The median length of hospital stay was significantly shorter among patients who ambulated on POD1 (p = 0.01). In-hospital mortality was also lower among those who ambulated on POD1 (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients who ambulated on POD1 exhibited a lower frequency of short-term postoperative complications. Preoperative walking speed, operative time, and type of surgical procedure were independent predictors of early ambulation in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Silva et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Abdominal cancer (n=122). Preoperative walking speed > 0.80 m/s vs. Preoperative walking speed ≤ 0.80 m/s was evaluated on Ambulation on postoperative day 1 (POD1) (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.41-15.96, p=0.01). Preoperative walking speed > 0.80 m/s was independently associated with a higher likelihood of early ambulation on postoperative day 1 (OR 4.74) in patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: