The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive value of the incremental shuttle walk test on rates of hospital acquired pneumonia for patients undergoing oesophagectomy.

Field tests to objectively measure functional capacity are becoming of greater importance when looking to assess an individual's fitness for surgery. One such field test is the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT). An externally paced, maximal excursion test, the ISWT is a simple and easily reproducible test that is widely used within cardiac and pulmonary populations and shown to correlate well with Vo2 mas on a cardiopulmonary exercise test. Previous studies looking at the benefit of the ISWT in predicting post-operative outcomes within the oesophagastric population have demonstrated that walking less than 350 meters has been associated with significantly higher rates of mortality at 30 days and 3 years. No correlation between ISWT and postoperative respiratory complications in this surgical population has been previously reported.

This study aims to assess whether walking <350 meters on an ISWT predicts the development of hospital acquired pneumonias following an elective oesophagectomy

Inclusion Criteria:

• Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of oesophagogastric cancer listed for an elective oesophagectomy at a large UK tertiary hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who were unable to complete the walking test
• patients deemed not fit for surgery
• patients with a significant neurological event peri or post operatively

Patients undergoing oesophagectomy