Predictive Value of Skeletal Muscle Function Test Combined with Climbing Test for Postoperative Cardiopulmonary Complications in Patients with COPD and Concurrent Lung Cancer

PURPOSE: To explore the predictive value of skeletal muscle function measurement combined with stair climbing test for postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from June 2022 to July 2023 at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, including 335 COPD patients with lung cancer who underwent surgery. The patients were divided into two groups based on the occurrence of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications: the complication group and the non-complication group. The demographic data, including gender, age, smoking history, quadriceps strength, body mass index (BMI), respiratory muscle strength, 6-minute walk test (6MWD), stair climbing test, and preoperative pulmonary function tests, were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive power of each parameter for postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients, 103 (30.7%) developed postoperative cardiopulmonary complications. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of quadriceps strength, respiratory muscle strength, 6MWD, smoking history, stair climbing test, DLCO%, FEV1%, heart rate, oxygen saturation, surgical duration, surgical approach, resection range, and blood loss (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that respiratory muscle strength, quadriceps strength, stair climbing test, FEV1%, DLCO%, ΔHR, ΔSPO2, surgical approach were identified as risk factors for postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients with COPD and lung cancer. CONCLUSION: Skeletal muscle function measurement, stair climbing test, FEV1, surgical approach, and DLCO% can serve as assessment tools for surgical risk in patients with COPD and lung cancer. They can predict the occurrence of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications to a certain extent, providing valuable predictive value for these complications in patients with COPD and NSCLC.