Improving cognitive and physical health before lung surgery in older adults

Effects of Preoperative Cognitive and Physical Optimization in the Prevention of Postoperative Cognitive Deficit in Elderly Patients With Lung Resection

Not applicable Interventional Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia · NCT06339268

This study is testing if a special program of brain exercises and physical therapy before lung surgery can help older adults think better and recover faster afterward.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment120 (estimated)
Ages60 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMilitary Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia Academic / other
Locations1 site (Belgrade)
Trial IDNCT06339268 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to prevent postoperative cognitive deficits in elderly patients undergoing lung resection by implementing a prehabilitation program. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which will receive cognitive stimulation and physical therapy for one month prior to surgery, or a control group that will receive standard treatment. The cognitive training will utilize the Cognifit app, and physical therapy will include exercises tailored to improve mobility and strength. The effectiveness of this approach will be assessed through pre- and postoperative cognitive evaluations.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are elderly individuals over 60 years old who are scheduled for elective lung resection and can use a phone or tablet.

Not a fit: Patients under 60 years of age or those with significant psychiatric or neurological comorbidities may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly reduce the incidence of cognitive deficits following lung surgery in older patients.

How similar studies have performed: While there is existing literature on cognitive deficits post-surgery, this specific prehabilitation approach is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Older than 60 years
* Elective lung resection operations
* Patients who can use a phone or tablet
* Patients who agreed to participate in the study
* Clinical scale of weakness less than 6
* The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I, II, III, IV

Exclusion Criteria:

* Under 60 years of age
* Significant psychiatric comorbidity (schizophrenia, depression, alcoholism)
* Significant neurological comorbidity (dementia, cerebrovascular insult in the last 6 months, parkinsonism)
* Patient's refusal to participate in the study
* The inability of the patient to use a tablet or phone
* The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status V and VI
* Clinical weakness scale 6 and above

Where this trial is running

Belgrade

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Prehabilitation
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.