• A Toker, S Ziyade, Y Bayrak, S Tanju, M Senturk, S Dilege, and G Kalayci.
• Department of Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul Universty, Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007 Jun 1;55(4):253-6.

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to assess the role of a modified stair climbing test in predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications.MethodsA consecutive series of 150 patients who had undergone pulmonary resection for lung carcinoma formed the prospective database of this study. All patients performed a preoperative modified stair climbing test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications.ResultsWith univariate analysis, the patients with complications had a lower pre-exercise and postexercise percentage of oxygen saturation. PaO (2) levels were found to be lower and a greater change in oxygen desaturation during exercise was noted. Logistic regression analysis showed that the percent of oxygen saturation pre-exercise and the change in percent of oxygen desaturation during exercise were independent and reliable predictors of cardiopulmonary morbidity.ConclusionsA modified stair climbing test is a safe, economical and simple test capable of predicting cardiopulmonary complications.

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