Changes in functional capacity of patients two years after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

OBJECTIVE To check changes in the functional capacity of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) by testing six-minute walk test (6MWT) following two years. METHODS A prospective cohort study where 215 patients were enrolled who underwent CABG, 13 did not meet the criteria for inclusion. 202 patients were evaluated preoperatively, 13 died during hospitalization and 6 in the follow up of two years. Four patients were considered lost follow up. This study followed 179 patients for two years classified into active and sedentary, according to physical activity in leisure time and to the 6MWT preoperatively and 2 years later. RESULTS One hundred and twenty patients were evaluated in the day before CABGS, being 67% male with an average age of 63 (+/- 9.75) years. Before surgery and 2 years later, 52 were active and the 6MWT distances performed had been 359m (+/- 164.47) and 439m (+/- 171.34), respectively; P= 0.016. Forty five patients were classified as sedentary before and 2 years after surgery. The 6MWT distances walked before and after surgery had been 255m (+/- 172.15) and 376m (+/- 210.92), respectively; P < 0.001. Eighty two patients transited between these two groups, 71 passed from sedentary to active and had walked before and after surgery 289m (+/- 157.15) and 380m (+/- 125.44), respectively; P= 0.001. The 11 patients who were active and passed to the sedentary group walked 221m (+/- 191.91) and 384m (+/- 63.73), respectively; P= 0.007. CONCLUSION The functional capacity of the patients submitted to CABGS had a significant improvement in a medium period of follow-up.