Table 1

Characteristics of patients versus preoperative level of physical activity

 Level of physical activity*
123–4Not reportedTotal
Patients, % (N)14 (31)61 (135)20 (43)5 (11)100 (220)
Age, mean, years (SD)61.8 (14.7)61.0 (11.2)56.8 (11.4)66.1 (14.7)60.5 (11.9)
Social status, % (n)
 Married/cohabiting65 (20)71 (96)72 (31)82 (9)71 (156)
BMI, mean (SD), % (n)28.4 (5.4)25.9 (4.5)24.7 (3.6)29.9 (5.9)26.2 (4.7)
 Obesity (>30)32 (10)16 (21)16 (7)27 (3)19 (41)
Comorbidity,† % (n)
 Yes45 (14)30 (41)19 (8)64 (7)32 (70)
Smoking, % (n)
 Yes16 (5)6 (8)12 (5)8 (18)
Alcohol intake, % (n)
 Moderate/heavy consumption‡39 (12)44 (59)56 (24)64 (7)46 (102)
Preoperative pain, % (n)
 Intermediate/severe62 (19)50 (68)37 (16)45 (5)49 (107)
Anxiety, % (n)
 Intermediate/severe52 (16)49 (66)51 (22)27 (3)49 (107)
Method of operation, % (n)
 Mastectomy29 (9)32 (43)12 (5)45 (5)28 (62)
 Sector58 (18)61 (83)84 (36)55 (6)65 (143)
Associated surgery, % (n)
 Sentinel node/no axillary operation77 (24)80 (108)72 (31)73 (8)80 (171)
 Axillary lymph node dissection23 (7)19 (26)28 (12)27 (3)20 (48)
Disseminated disease, % (n)
 No diagnosis of disseminated disease84 (26)80 (108)74 (32)82 (9)80 (175)
 Disseminated disease (ICD-10-C773)16 (5)19 (26)26 (11)18 (2)20 (44)
Quality of life,§ % (n)
 0–223 (7)13 (18)12 (5)18 (2)15 (32)
 3–677 (24)87 (117)88 (38)82 (9)85 (188)
Mental well-being,§ % (n)
 0–235 (11)8 (11)12 (5)27 (3)14 (30)
 3–665 (20)92 (124)88 (38)73 (8)86 (190)
Physical health,§ % (n)
 0–216 (5)18 (25)28 (12)18 (2)20 (44)
 3–684 (26)81 (109)72 (31)82 (9)80 (175)
EQ5D, VAS, mean (SD)61.2 (19.8)74.9 (17.2)75.8 (21.3)4073.0 (19.1)
Hospital stay
 0–1 day71 (22)85 (115)93 (40)82 (9)85 (186)
 2 days or more13 (4)9 (12)2 (1)18 (2)9 (19)
  • *Levels of physical activity are categorised accordingly: (1) physically inactive, (2) some light physical activity, (3) regular physical activity and training and (4) regular hard physical training for competition sports.

  • †Comorbidity includes diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension.

  • ‡Moderate/heavy consumption equals more than 1 unit/week.

  • §Assessed as 0–6, where 0 equals worst possible and six best possible.

  • BMI, body mass index; ICD, International Classification of Diseases; VAS, visual analogue scale.