In-hospital Physiotherapy for Patients Undergoing Thoracic Surgery - a Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT01961700 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 122541
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 107
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world, and the cancer that causes the most number of deaths. In Sweden, about 3700 persons are diagnosed every year. About one fifth of the patients are eligible for surgery. Patients undergoing thoracic surgery suffer from pain and low health related quality of life after surgery. In Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, pre- and postoperative physiotherapy is routinely provided for patients undergoing thoracic surgery, but the effects have not been thoroughly investigated. The scientific evidence of the effect of physiotherapy in connection with lung surgery is limited. The treatment typically consists of early mobilisation, breathing exercises and exercises for the shoulders. Reeve et al has shown that a postoperative shoulder exercise program can improve function and decrease pain after thoracotomy. Breathing exercises has not been found effective in reducing the rate of postoperative pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of in-hospital physiotherapy treatment, for patients undergoing thoracic surgery, on physical activity, health related quality of life, pain and lung function.

Conditions

Lung Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Six minute walking test

  up to 12 months postoperatively

Study Arms (2)

Physiotherapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Physiotherapy (breathing exercises, mobilisation, exercises for upper limbs, advice on physical activity and exercise) provided daily during hospitalization.

Other: Physiotherapy

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

No physiotherapy.

Interventions

Physiotherapy OTHER

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Thoracic surgery

You may not qualify if:

• Previous lung volume reducing surgery

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Region Örebro County: lead

Study Sites (1)

Örebro University Hospital

Örebro, 70185, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Jonsson M, Hurtig-Wennlof A, Ahlsson A, Westerdahl E. Physical activity and health-related quality of life after lung cancer surgery- cross-sectional analyses 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2025 Jul 9;23(1):69. doi: 10.1186/s12955-025-02400-z.

  PMID: 40629419 DERIVED

• Jonsson M, Ahlsson A, Hurtig-Wennlof A, Vidlund M, Cao Y, Westerdahl E. In-Hospital Physiotherapy and Physical Recovery 3 Months After Lung Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2019 Jan-Dec;18:1534735419876346. doi: 10.1177/1534735419876346.

  PMID: 31530046 DERIVED

• Jonsson M, Hurtig-Wennlof A, Ahlsson A, Vidlund M, Cao Y, Westerdahl E. In-hospital physiotherapy improves physical activity level after lung cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial. Physiotherapy. 2019 Dec;105(4):434-441. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2018.11.001. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

  PMID: 30871894 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Lung Neoplasms

Interventions

Physical Therapy Modalities

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Therapeutics; Rehabilitation

Study Officials

• Marcus Jonsson, PhD Student

  Region Örebro län

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Physiotherapist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 9, 2013
• First Posted: October 11, 2013
• Study Start: December 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2017
• Study Completion: January 1, 2018
• Last Updated: April 10, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SE (1)