Evaluation of peripheral muscle strength of patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery: a longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
Peripheral muscle strength has been little explored in the literature in the context of cardiac rehabilitation.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the peripheral muscle strength of patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.


METHODS
This was a longitudinal observational study. The peripheral muscle strength was measured using isometric dynamometry lower limb (knee extensors and flexors) at three different times: preoperatively (M1), the day of discharge (M2) and hospital discharge (M3). Participants received physiotherapy pre and postoperatively during the days of hospitalization during the morning and afternoon.


RESULTS
Twenty-two patients were evaluated. The values of peripheral muscle strength of knee extensors preoperative found were about 50% lower than those predicted for the healthy population. When comparing muscle strength prior (M1), with the remaining evaluation, found himself in a fall of 29% for the movement of knee extension and 25% for knee flexion in M2 and a decrease of 10% movement for knee extension and 13% for knee flexion in M3 when comparing with M1.


CONCLUSIONS
The values of peripheral muscle strength prior of the study patients were lower than predicted for the healthy population of the same age. After the surgical event this reduction is even more remarkable, being reestablished until the time of discharge, to values close to baseline.
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Kelli Maria Souza
KM
Santos
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Manoel Luiz de
ML
Cerqueira Neto
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Vitor Oliveira
VO
Carvalho
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Valter Joviniano de
VJ
Santana Filho
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Walderi Monteiro da
WM
Silva Junior
Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Amaro Afrânio
AA
Araújo Filho
Universidade Tiradentes, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Telma Cristina Fontes
TC
Cerqueira
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
Lucas de Assis Pereira
Lde A
Cacau
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric