A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons finds that exercise or nutrition-based prehabilitation reduces length of stay and complications across various surgical contexts. It notes, however, that subgroup analysis revealed that each intervention “differentially impacted the primary outcomes.”
It states that earlier studies about these “promising emerging strategies for enhancing surgical recovery” reported “mixed findings about their impact on postoperative outcomes.” The study sought to further investigate, focusing on impacts such as on length of stay (LOS), complications, quality of life (QoL), pain, and mental health.
Twenty-three randomized controlled trials involving 2,182 participants were examined, evaluating exercise or nutrition-based prehabilitation programs and reporting LOS and complications as primary outcomes, with secondary outcomes including QoL, pain, and mental health scores.
The researchers concluded that “exercise or nutrition-based prehabilitation programs reduce LOS and complications across multiple surgical contexts. Further work is needed to elucidate the effects of different intervention protocols on postoperative outcomes.”
Access the full study here.
