HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) The Bottom Line All Versions of this Article: ptj.20070296v1 88/8/928    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Rapid Responses are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tompkins, J. Articles by Swain, J. M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tompkins, J. Articles by Swain, J. M Related Collections Obesity Outcomes Measurement Tests and Measurements Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Changes in Functional Walking Distance and Health-Related Quality of Life After Gastric Bypass Surgery

J Tompkins, PT, DPT, CP, is Physical Therapist, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, 5777 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85054 (USA).
PR Bosch, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Physical Therapy Program, Arizona School of Health Sciences, AT Still University, Mesa, Arizona.
R Chenowith, PT, DPT, PES-NASM, CPT, is Physical Therapist, Elite Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
JL Tiede, RN, MSN, RNFA, is Registered Nurse, First Assist, Department of General Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix.
JM Swain, MD, is Director of Bariatric Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix.

Address all correspondence to Dr Tompkins at: tompkins.james{at}mayo.edu

Background and Purpose: Early physical functional changes after gastric bypass surgery (GBS) are unclear, and the relationship between these changes and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) has not been reported. We measured distances from a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and scores on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) before and after GBS.

Subjects and Methods: Twenty-five people undergoing GBS completed the SF-36 and 6MWT presurgically and at the 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during 6MWTs.

Results: Presurgical walking distance (±SD; 414.1±103.7 m) was 55%±14% of normative values. Distances increased significantly at 3 months (505.2±98.0 m) and at 6 months (551.5±101.2 m). Final RPEs decreased significantly, and HR-QOL improved significantly. Both physical and mental health components of the SF-36 improved significantly. Distance was inversely correlated with body mass throughout the study and positively correlated with the SF-36 Physical Component Summary change from 3 to 6 months.

Discussion and Conclusions: Improved functional capacity was associated with enhanced HR-QOL. At 6 months, walking distances remained 75% of those for age-matched peers who had normal weight.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?