TUESDAY, July 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Preoperative high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be beneficial for adults undergoing major surgery, according to a review published online June 30 in JAMA Network Open.

Kari Clifford, Ph.D., from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of 12 eligible studies including 832 adult patients undergoing major surgery. The impact of HIIT versus standard care was examined on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and postoperative outcomes.

The researchers identified several positive associations for HIIT versus standard care on CRF (peak oxygen consumption [VO₂ peak], 6-Minute Walk Test, anerobic threshold, or peak power output) or postoperative outcomes (complications, length of stay, quality of life), although significant heterogeneity was seen in the results. Moderate-quality evidence of significant improvement in VO₂ peak was seen in eight studies with 627 patients (cumulative mean difference, 2.59 mL/kg/min). Evidence of a significant reduction in complications was seen in eight studies including 770 patients (odds ratio, 0.44). In terms of hospital length of stay, there was no evidence that HIIT differed from standard care. A high degree of heterogeneity was seen in study outcomes, while the risk for bias was low overall.

“These findings suggest that HIIT may improve patient outcomes, with robust benefits across patient populations,” the authors write. “Preoperative HIIT shows promising results and should be included in prehabilitation programs.”

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