Anesthesiology

ON THE COVER: Functional capacity is an important determinant of surgical risk, yet the relationship between self-reported metabolic equivalents of task (MET) scores, particularly when applied as a binary variable with a single cutoff threshold, and postoperative outcomes remain unclear. In this issue of Anesthesiology, Valadkhani et al. evaluated the association between categorized MET levels (1, 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 or greater) and short- and long-term mortality and morbidity. In an accompanying editorial, Wijeysundera analyzes the incorporation of structured questionnaires to assess functional capacity into contemporary preoperative risk assessment. Cover illustration: A. Johnson, Vivo Visuals Studio. Valadkhani et al.: Impact of Preoperative Functional Capacity on Postoperative Mortality and Morbidity: A Prospective Cohort Study, p. 525 Wijeysundera: Functional Capacity Assessment before Surgery: The Evolution Continues, p. 503