Two trials reported data about length of stay in ICU following preoperative exercise training, again with conflicting results. Arthur et al21 reported a statistically significant reduction in ICU length

of stay (median of two hours less) due to preoperative exercise, whereas Herdy et al16 reported no significant difference. The two-week program demonstrated no postoperative benefit to physical function MK0683 at six weeks (measured using the Short Form 36 Physical Component Summary score) and this trial was the only trial to examine physical function outcomes postoperatively.22 Outcome data for postoperative pulmonary complications and costs were not reported by any trials that examined exercise. There were no significant differences in hospital length of stay between groups in either trial examining counselling or goal setting as their primary intervention.23 and 24 Both of the trials above concluded that the programs were cost effective

when compared to usual care, although they used different metrics. Goodman et al23 reported that a preoperative support program lowered total costs by £2293, which was statistically significant (95% CI -3743 to -843). Furze et al24 reported that the incremental cost effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life year was £288.83, well below the thresholds for acceptability in the United Kingdom.25 selleck screening library None of the included trials reported data about postoperative pulmonary complications, physical function, time to extubation or length of stay in ICU. Meta-analysis of data from three trials showed that inspiratory muscle training caused a significant reduction in the

relative risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications, as presented in Figure 9. No heterogeneity was present (I2 = 0%) and the pooled relative risk was 0.42 (95% 0.21 to 0.82). The relative risk reduction was 58% and the number needed to treat was 13 (95% CI 7 to 48). Only the large randomised controlled trial by Hulzebos et al26 investigated the effectiveness of preoperative inspiratory muscle training on time to extubation. They reported heptaminol a statistically significant reduction in the time to extubation with a median of 0.17 days (range 0.05 to 53.6) in the intervention group and 0.21 days (range 0.05 to 3.3) in the control group, p = 0.01. Meta-analysis of two trials by Hulzebos et al26 and 27 showed that inspiratory muscle training reduced length of stay in hospital significantly, with a mean difference of 2.1 days (95% CI -3.41 to -0.76) and no heterogeneity present in the analysis, as presented in Figure 10. Outcome data for length of stay in ICU, physical function and costs were not reported by any trials that examined preoperative inspiratory muscle training. Rajendran et al28 compared preoperative breathing exercises and multi-disciplinary education to a no-treatment control. The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.