title: The effects of a physical exercise programme after radical cystectomy for urinary bladder cancer. A pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of feasibility and effects of an exercise training programme in patients following cystectomy due to urinary bladder cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-blind, pilot, randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients (64-78 years), of 89 suitable, cystectomized due to urinary bladder cancer, were randomized after hospital discharge to intervention or control.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 12-week exercise programme included group exercise training twice a week and daily walks. The control group received only standardized information at discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trial eligibility and compliance to inclusion were registered. Assessments of functional capacity, balance, lower body strength and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 122 patients 89 were eligible, but 64 did not want to participate/were not invited. Twenty-five patients were included, but 7 dropped out before randomization. Eighteen patients were randomized to intervention or control. Thirteen patients completed the training period. The intervention group increased walking distance more than the control group, 109 m (75-177) compared to 62 m (36-119) (P = 0.013), and role physical domain in SF-36 more than the control group (P = 0.031). Ten patients were evaluated one year postoperatively. The intervention group had continued increasing walking distance, 20 m (19-36), whereas the control group had shortened the distance -15.5 m (-43 to -5) (P = 0.010).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 12-week group exercise training programme was not feasible for most cystectomy patients. However, functional capacity and the role-physical domain in HRQoL increased in the short and long term for patients in the intervention group compared with controls.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Physiotherapy, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porserud
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherif
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tollbäck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015653:Cystectomy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D016138:Walking
keywords: Urinary bladder cancer; exercise; radical cystectomy