EFEx Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Enhancing Fitness with Preoperative Exercise in Colorectal Cancer Surgery (EFEx).
IRAS ID
217858
Contact name
Susan Moug
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Clinical Research and Development Central Office
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 1 months, 26 days
Research summary
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland and surgery is the mainstay of treatment. Unfortunately, a number of patients develop post-operative complications. Approximately 80% occur in those with other health issues (e.g. heart and/or lung disease) – clinically regarded as ‘high-risk patients’ (HRPs). Pre-operative exercise, or prehabilitation, is a promising area with trials reporting improved fitness and reduced post-operative complication rates in patients with bowel cancer. Many trials have excluded HRPs despite them having potentially the most to gain in short- and long-term quality of life. This trial will randomise HRPs with bowel cancer awaiting elective surgery to either a prehabilitation group (individualised strengthening exercises, respiratory muscle training and a walking programme for 4 weeks minimum) or usual care group. The primary aim is to determine the feasibility of using prehabilitation to improve the physical fitness of HRPs before surgery. Secondary aims include assessing the impact on short-term postoperative outcomes including: length of stay in high dependency and intensive care; readmission rate to these facilities; time to medical discharge; hospital length of stay; readmission within 30 days; post-operative morbidity as recorded by the Clavien-Dindo scale; patients’ perceived quality of life, psychological health and frailty score.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
17/WS/0212
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion