An average daily step count significantly indicates surgical risk.
Research examining Fitbit wearable data from surgical patients has provided invaluable insights into the relationship between physical activity and reduced likelihood of postoperative complications.
Patients who maintained an average of at least 7,500 steps daily were found to have a substantially lower risk of postoperative complications compared to those who did not meet this threshold.
After adjusting for the complexity of the procedure, comorbidities and other factors, the odds of complications within 90 days after hospital discharge were reduced by half if a patient took more than that number of steps a day pre-operation.
Dr Anai Kothari, an assistant professor of surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, highlighted the importance of physical activity levels in predicting postoperative outcomes.
‘In my clinical experience, step count and activity levels correlate with patients' postoperative recovery.’
The study evaluated the relationship between preoperative step counts and the risk of postoperative complications.
The research utilised data from the All of Us Research Programme, a nationwide initiative focused on collecting electronic health records and health-related data from patients.
The study analysed a cohort of 27,150 surgical patients, of whom 475 had preoperative Fitbit data available for analysis.
The average age of the participants was 57.2 years, with 74.7% being female. The primary outcome of the study was the occurrence of postoperative complications.
Presenting the findings at the 2023 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons, Dr Kothari reported an overall postoperative complication rate of 12.6%.
However, this rate was significantly higher at 15.1% among patients who averaged fewer than 7,500 daily steps, compared to 8.9% in those who exceeded this benchmark (P=0.01).
After adjusting for age, race, and sex, patients with an average daily step count below 7,500 were more than twice as likely to experience postoperative complications (odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.05-4.06).
Contrary to the popular belief that 10,000 steps per day is the ideal target, Dr Kothari's team found that 7,500 steps appeared to be the critical threshold associated with improved postoperative outcomes.
‘Above this threshold, the risk of complications was essentially halved,’ Dr Kothari explained.
While acknowledging that step count may serve as a proxy for overall health, the researchers viewed it as a novel approach to enhancing patient engagement and assessing surgical readiness based on patient-generated data.
‘Many patients already use wearable devices to track their daily activity,’ noted Dr Kothari. ‘It offers a unique way to measure physical fitness, allowing patients and their families to stay informed and engaged in the surgical process.’
