RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR SURGERY BY A TIMED WALK

The FAST Walk study wants to find out if a straightforward walking test can help doctors understand if someone is more likely to have issues after certain operations. This test, called the 6-minute walk test, asks you to walk as far as you can in six minutes. It would be done before your surgery. The main goal is to improve care for people having major surgery. If we can identify those at higher risk beforehand, doctors might be able to offer extra support or different types of care. The study is open to men and women aged 40 and over who are having planned non-heart surgery and are expected to stay in hospital for at least two days afterwards.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Unity Health Toronto

Enrolment target

1,672

Start

10 Jun 2024

Estimated completion

01 Sep 2029

Surgery-Complications Postoperative Complications

What is this study about?

Imagine you're getting ready for a big journey. Knowing what to expect and preparing well can make a huge difference. This study, called the FAST Walk study, is a bit like that for surgery. It's looking into whether a simple physical test done before your operation could help doctors understand if you might need extra support afterwards.

Your body needs to be strong to recover from major surgery. Doctors want to see if a short walking test, where you walk for six minutes, can give them a good idea of how well you might bounce back. By doing this test, the study hopes to find out if it can predict potential problems or complications that sometimes happen after an operation. If it can, doctors could use this information to better prepare patients and perhaps offer different care plans to help everyone recover as smoothly as possible.

Ultimately, this research aims to make surgery safer and help people feel better sooner. It’s about using a simple tool to get a clearer picture of each patient's fitness before major non-heart surgery, with the hope of improving their journey to recovery. This could lead to better tailored care in the future for many patients.

Key takeaways

Aims to see if a 6-minute walk test before surgery can predict recovery.
Could help improve care for patients having major operations.
Involves a simple, short walking test before surgery – one-time assessment.
Open to people aged 40 and over having planned non-heart surgery.
Does not involve new medicines or extra hospital visits.
Results could help countless future patients.

Who may be eligible?

The FAST Walk study is looking for volunteers who are preparing for certain types of planned (elective) surgery. You might be able to take part if you are 40 years old or older, and your doctor expects you to stay in hospital for at least two days after your operation. You also need to have at least one factor that doctors consider to be a risk for complications after surgery, and be able to understand and speak English.

This study is specifically for people having non-heart surgery. It's important that you can safely do the 6-minute walking test before your operation. The doctors will check this for you.

However, you won't be able to join if you are having keyhole surgery for blood vessels (endovascular surgery), or if you are having hip or knee replacement surgery or other operations on your lower leg bones. Also, if there's any medical reason why you shouldn't do the 6-minute walking test, you won't be able to participate.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 40 years old or older?
Are you having planned surgery that is NOT on your heart?
Is your doctor expecting you to stay in hospital for at least two days after your operation?
Can you understand and speak English?
Are you able to do a short, gentle walk test safely?
Are you NOT having lower limb orthopaedic (bone) surgery or endovascular (blood vessel keyhole) surgery?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in the FAST Walk study, the main thing you would do is a simple walking test called the 6-minute walk test. This test involves walking as far as you can comfortably in six minutes, usually along a marked corridor.

This test would be done once, before your surgery. There are no special medications involved in this study, and no extra hospital visits beyond your normal pre-surgery appointments to take part. The research team will explain everything to you in detail and supervise the walking test. They will also collect some standard information about your health before and after your operation, just like they would for any patient. The total duration of your participation would be from shortly before your surgery until you recover from the operation.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may offer a direct benefit to you by helping doctors understand your fitness before surgery, potentially leading to more tailored care. Even if it doesn't directly benefit you, the information gathered could help improve care for many other patients having major surgery in the future. The risks of the 6-minute walk test are very low, as it's a routine assessment, and you'll only do it if doctors confirm it's safe for you. You are free to stop the test at any time if you feel unwell, and you have the right to withdraw from the study at any point without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

St. Michael's Hospital
Verified postcode
Toronto, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is the 6-minute walk test?

It's a simple test where you walk at your own pace for six minutes, and the distance you cover is measured. It helps doctors understand your general fitness.

Is the study just for men or women?

No, both men and women are welcome to take part in this study.

Do I have to take any new medicines?

No, this study does not involve taking any new medications.

Will taking part change my surgery date?

No, taking part in this study should not change the date or plan for your surgery.

What happens after the walk test?

The results of your walk test will be recorded, but you won't need to do any other study-specific tasks after that. Your medical team will continue with your usual plans for surgery.

How to find out more

Duminda N Wijeysundera, MD PhD FRCPC

d.wijeysundera@utoronto.ca 416-864-5825 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.