Exergame-based rehabilitation for cancer patients undergoing abdominal surgery: Effects on pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue - A pilot study

• Published in: European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society Vol. 72; p. 102665
• Main Authors: Alves, Isabel, Moreira, Ana Paula, Sousa, Teresa, Teles, Paulo, Fernandes, Carla Sílvia, Goncalves, Filipe, Magalhães, Bruno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2024
• Subjects: Abdomen - surgery; Adult; Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety - prevention & control; Depression; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exergames; Fatigue; Fatigue neoplasms; Female; Games; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - rehabilitation; Neoplasms - surgery; Pain; Pain, Postoperative; Pilot Projects; Rehabilitation; Video Games; Pain; Exergames; Games; Depression; Anxiety; Rehabilitation; Fatigue neoplasms
• ISSN: 1462-3889; 1532-2122; 1532-2122
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2024.102665

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of an exergame rehabilitation program on pain, anxiety or depression, and fatigue in oncology patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
The randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of exergame rehabilitation on Pain, Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue in oncology patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Patients were recruited from October 2022–March 2023 and were randomly assigned to the intervention group (postoperative traditional rehabilitation plus an exergame rehabilitation program) or control group (postoperative traditional rehabilitation). Data were collected at three different times: on admission, in the first 48 h, and on the 7th day after surgery.
Primary outcomes were evaluated and monitored with different validated instruments: numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess the level of anxiety and depression, and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) to assess physical and psychological fatigue. The length of stay and program completion were secondary outcomes.
A total of 128 postoperative patients were recruited. Of these, 58 patients were excluded from the study due to clinical complications related to the surgical procedure (n = 53) or healthcare staff-related reasons (n = 5). Both the control and intervention groups were the same size (n = 35). Lower pain scores were observed on the 7th postoperative day in the group subject to the “exergame rehabilitation program” (p = 0.006). No statistically significant differences were observed for anxiety and depression between the 2 groups. Regarding fatigue, statistically significant differences were observed on admission (p = 0.03), which disappeared 48 h after surgery (p = 0.143). Differences between the groups were observed again on the 7th day after surgery (p = 0.005).
The intervention using exergames was effective in reducing the postoperative pain of the patient undergoing major abdominal surgery and in restoring the levels of fatigue before surgical intervention. However, no differences were observed for anxiety or depression. Future studies with larger samples should be carried out.
•The rehabilitation of a cancer patient has specific characteristics that nurses must consider.•Exergames should continue to be integrated as an attractive method for the rehabilitation of a person after abdominal surgery in the multimodal rehabilitation approach.•The inclusion of exergames in post-operative rehabilitation treatment routines does not seem to cause an increase in fatigue greater than conventional treatment.