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The effects of inpatient exercise therapy on the length of hospital stay in stages I–III colon cancer patients: randomized controlled trial

International Journal of Colorectal Disease volume 28, pages 643–651 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the effects of a postsurgical, inpatient exercise program on postoperative recovery in operable colon cancer patients

Methods

We conducted the randomized controlled trial with two arms: postoperative exercise vs. usual care. Patients with stages I–III colon cancer who underwent colectomy between January and December 2011 from the Colorectal Cancer Clinic, were recruited for the study. Subjects in the intervention group participated in the postoperative inpatient exercise program consisted of twice daily exercise, including stretching, core, balance, and low-intensity resistance exercises. The usual care group was not prescribed a structured exercise program. The primary endpoint was the length of hospital stay. Secondary endpoints were time to flatus, time to first liquid diet, anthropometric measurements, and physical function measurements.

Results

A total of 31 (86.1 %) patients completed the trial, with adherence to exercise interventions at 84.5 %. The mean length of hospital stay was 7.82 ± 1.07 days in the exercise group compared with 9.86 ± 2.66 days in usual care (mean difference, 2.03 days; 95 % confidence interval (CI), −3.47 to −0.60 days; p = 0.005) in per-protocol analysis. The mean time to flatus was 52.18 ± 21.55 h in the exercise group compared with 71.86 ± 29.2 h in the usual care group (mean difference, 19.69 h; 95 % CI, −38.33 to −1.04 h; p = 0.036).

Conclusions

Low-to-moderate-intensity postsurgical exercise reduces length of hospital stay and improves bowel motility after colectomy procedure in patients with stages I–III colon cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The current study was supported by the national research foundation of Korea (NRF), Ministry of Education (No. 2011-0004892).

Competing interest and funding

We declare that none of the author has conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport and Leisure Studies, Yonsei University, 134 Seodaemun-Gu, Shinchon-Dong, 120-749, Seoul, Korea

    Ki-Yong Ahn, Dong-Hyun Kim, Jihee Min & Justin Y. Jeon

  2. Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei University, 250 Seongsan-ro, Seodaemun-gu, 120-752, Seoul, Korea

    Hyuk Hur, Duck Hyoun Jeong & Nam Kyu Kim

  3. Department of Clinical Nursing Science, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Nursing policy Research Institute, Biobehavioral Research Center, Seoul, Korea

    Sang Hui Chu

  4. Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Ji Won Lee

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

    Jennifer A. Ligibel & Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt

  6. Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC, USA

    Lee W. Jones

Authors
  1. Ki-Yong Ahn
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  2. Hyuk Hur
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  3. Dong-Hyun Kim
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  4. Jihee Min
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  5. Duck Hyoun Jeong
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  6. Sang Hui Chu
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  7. Ji Won Lee
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  8. Jennifer A. Ligibel
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  9. Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt
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  10. Lee W. Jones
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  11. Justin Y. Jeon
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  12. Nam Kyu Kim
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Justin Y. Jeon or Nam Kyu Kim.

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Ahn, KY., Hur, H., Kim, DH. et al. The effects of inpatient exercise therapy on the length of hospital stay in stages I–III colon cancer patients: randomized controlled trial. Int J Colorectal Dis 28, 643–651 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-013-1665-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-013-1665-1

Keywords

  • Exercise
  • Paralytic ileus
  • Colectomy
  • Recovery