Physical functional capacity of patients with glioma prior to adjuvant radiation: preliminary descriptive study

Abstract

Background Few studies have assessed physical functioning in glioma patients with grade II, III, IV glioma prior to undergoing adjuvant radiation with or without chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to describe the baseline physical functioning capacity of patients with glioma prior to adjuvant therapy compared to validated cut-offs required to maintain independence. Methods This study is a cross-sectional study that recruited patients with grade II, III, IV glioma (n=33) undergoing adjuvant radiation with or without chemotherapy. The six-minute walk, thirty-second sit-to-stand and timed “Up & Go” assessments were used to describe baseline physical functioning. Perceived quality of life from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) version 3.0 was used to quantify quality of life. Results Mean distance walked in the six-minute walk test was 416.2 meters (SD 137.6 meters) with a mean of 12.2 stands (SD 3.4 stands) achieved during the thirty-second sit-to-stand. Median time to complete the timed “Up & Go” assessment was seven seconds (Interquartile Range: three seconds). One sample t-tests suggest walking distance and chair stands were significantly lower than cut-off criterions to maintain independent living, t(32)= -5.96, p <0.001, bias-corrected accelerated 95% CI [370.7 to 460.4] and, t(32)= -4.60, p<0.01, bias-corrected accelerated 95% CI [11.0 to 13.4] respectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank test identified significantly shorter median time taken to complete the timed “Up & Go” test compared to the cut-off criterion (z = -4.43, n= 33, p<0.01). Conclusion This study suggests glioma patient’s aerobic endurance and lower limb strength are below criterion cut-offs recommended to maintain independent living. Timed “Up & Go” scores did not exceed the criterion cut-off, indicating respectable levels of mobility.

Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing in glioblastoma patients undergoing chemotherapy: assessment of feasibility, safety, and physical fitness status

“…Secondly, the analysis of cardiorespiratory fitness in comparison to established normative data revealed reduced fitness levels in GBM patients post combined radiochemotherapy. The average lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness observed in our participants align with findings from other studies in glioma patients [ 34 – 37 ]. These studies reported patients achieving 56–79% of predicted norm, partly attributed to the testing protocols with submaximal termination thresholds as indicated by lower RER values (RER ≤ 1.0) compared to our study.…”

Prevalence and management of sleep disturbance in adults with primary brain tumours and their caregivers: a systematic review

“…Notwithstanding the absence of these sleep-focused interventions, our review found preliminary evidence suggesting that physical activity may elicit beneficial outcomes on sleep disturbance, drowsiness, and fatigue specific to PBT survivors [ 22 , 33 , 34 , 37 ]. The physical implications of a PBT diagnosis compromise QoL and independence, with marked reductions in strength and fitness when compared to age- and sex-matched normative data [ 57 , 58 ]. Following a PBT diagnosis, reduced physical activity levels are observed, potentially exacerbating tumour- and treatment-related effects [ 57 , 59 ].…”