M. G. Henriksen

BACKGROUND: Surgery is succeeded by long-lasting state of relative peripheral insulin resistance, which is reduced by giving glucose infusion or oral carbohydrate-rich drinks immediate before operating instead of fasting. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether oral carbohydrate or carbohydrate with peptide drinks preoperatively instead of fasting would improve postoperative voluntary muscle strength, nutritional intake and ambulation, decrease postoperative fatigue, anxiety and discomfort, and reduce the endocrine response to surgery. METHODS: Forty-eight patients were included and randomized into three groups to receive 2 x 400 ml of carbohydrate-rich drinks or to fast overnight and allowed only water. Voluntary grip and quadriceps strength, body composition, pulmonary function, VAS-score of eight parameters of wellbeing, muscle biopsies and insulin, glucagon, IGF-1 and free fatty acids were measured before and after the operation. The basic postoperative regimen for all groups were immediate oral nutrition and early enforced mobilization. RESULTS: Significant postoperative decrease in glycogen synthase activity in the muscle biopsies was reduced in the intervention groups, and in combination, the intervention groups had a less reduced quadriceps strength after one week (-10% vs. -16%, NS) and one month (-5% vs. -13%, P < 0.05). Minor changes in the endocrine response to surgery were found without differences between the groups, and there were no differences between the groups in ambulation time, nutritional intake or subjective measures of wellbeing.

Abstract Aim Changes in postoperative fatigue, physical function and body composition were described in patients after open colorectal surgery, and factors that predicted postoperative fatigue 1 month after surgery were identified. Method Data from five clinical intervention studies from 1991 to 2005 were amalgamated. Patients ( n = 385) were examined preoperatively, at discharge and 1 month postoperatively. The level of fatigue was scored subjectively from 1 ‘fit’ to 10 ‘fatigued’ on a modified visual analogue scale and by objective measurements of hand grip and knee extension strength, work capacity, weight, lean body mass and fat mass. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of a high fatigue score 1 month postoperatively. Results Preoperatively, only 17% had a high fatigue score (≥ 5.5), whereas 65 and 30% had a high fatigue score at discharge and 1 month postoperatively, respectively. Postoperatively, there was a significant fall in physical performance, weight, lean body mass and fat mass that did not normalize by 1 month. High preoperative and discharge fatigue scores, major complications and the loss of lean body mass significantly increased the risk of fatigue 1 month postoperatively. Conclusion Open colorectal surgery was associated with a significant increase in postoperative fatigue and a decline in physical performance, weight and lean body mass. Major complications, a high perioperative fatigue score and the loss of lean body mass increased the risk of long‐term fatigue.