Preoperative pulmonary function as a predictor of respiratory complications and mortality in patients undergoing lung cancer resection

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated preoperative pulmonary function as a predictor of respiratory complications and mortality in patients undergoing lung cancer resection to confirm the guideline of the British Thoracic Society: lung cancer surgery in patients with predictive postoperative FEV(1.0) (%FEV(1.0)ppo) > 40% and predictive postoperative diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (%DL(co)ppo) > 40% can be carried out with average risk. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 356 consecutive patients who underwent pulmonary resection at our Department from January 1992 to December 2001. Preoperative pulmonary function tests included vital capacity (VC), %VC, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1.0)), FEV(1.0)%, diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DL(co)), predictive postoperative FEV(1.0) (FEV(1.0)ppo), postoperative respiratory function expressed as a percentage of the predicted normal value (%FEV(1.0) ppo, %DL(co)ppo). Postoperative complications were divided into 2 groups: respiratory complications (pneumonia, atelectasis, etc) and other complications (bronchopleural fistula, prolonged air leak, arrhythmia, etc). RESULTS: Postoperative deaths occurred in 14 (3.9%) patients. Postoperative respiratory complications developed in 27 (7.6%) patients. Pneumonectomy (p < 0.001), preoperative chemotherapy (p < 0.01) and advanced stage (p < 0.05) were identified as risk factors of postoperative deaths. Patients undergoing lobectomy with FEV(1.0) > or = 1,500 ml did not die of respiratory complications. Patients undergoing pneumonectomy with FEV(1.0)ppo > or = 800ml/m2 did not die of respiratory complications. Patients undergoing pneumonectomy with %FEV(1.0)ppo < 40% and %DL(co)ppo < 40% did not survive. Five of the 7 patients who died of respiratory complications were treated with preoperative chemotherapy. The values of their %DL(co)ppo were all less than 40%. By multivariate analysis, %FEV(1.0)ppo was significant independent factor associated postoperative death. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the guideline is useful for the selection for surgery of lung cancer patients. If preoperative chemotherapy is performed, the measurement of %DL(co) is recommended before surgery.