Quantitative assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness, skeletal muscle function, and body composition in adults with primary malignant glioma

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The study was undertaken to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness, skeletal muscle function, and body composition of patients with newly diagnosed and untreated, postsurgical primary malignant glioma. METHODS: By using a cross-sectional design, patients with clinically stable (10±7 days postsurgery) high-grade glioma (HGG; n=25) or low-grade glioma (LGG; n=10) were studied. Participants performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) with expired gas analysis to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak). Other physiological outcomes included skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA; magnetic resonance imaging), isokinetic muscle strength (isokinetic dynamometer), and body composition (air displacement plethysmography). Quality of life was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain scale. RESULTS: CPET was a feasible and safe procedure to assess VO2peak, with no serious adverse events. VO2peak indexed to total body weight and lean body mass (LBM) for both groups was 13.0 mL·weight·min-1 and 19 mL·LBM·min -1, the equivalent to 59% and 38% below age- and sex-predicted normative values, respectively. Skeletal muscle strength and mid-thigh CSA were lower in HGG relative to LGG patients (83 vs 125 Nm, P = .025; 94 vs 119 cm 2, P = .171, respectively). Skeletal muscle isokinetic strength, CSA, and body composition outcomes predicted VO2peak (r = -0.59 to 0.68, P