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Published on: August 13, 2014
Impaired exercise performance after successful liver transplantation
A L Stephenson1, E M Yoshida, R T Abboud
1Respiratory Division, Vancouver General Hospital, 2775 Heather Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5Z 3J5.
Transplantation
|October 2, 2001
Summary
Liver transplant recipients show reduced exercise capacity, similar to other organ transplant patients. This impairment may stem from deconditioning or medication side effects.
Area of Science:
- Transplantation Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Heart, lung, and kidney transplant recipients often experience reduced peak exercise performance (peak VO2 40-60% predicted) and anaerobic threshold (AT).
- These limitations occur without clear ventilatory or cardiac causes.
- This study investigated if liver transplant recipients (LTRs) also exhibit similar exercise impairments.
Observation:
- Eight healthy LTRs (42±9 years) were studied 31±13 months post-transplant.
- Immunosuppression regimens included FK506/cyclosporine, azathioprine/mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone.
- Subjects underwent pulmonary function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
Findings:
- LTRs demonstrated impaired peak exercise oxygen consumption (VO2) at 66±20% of predicted maximum.
- No ventilatory limitation or exercise desaturation was observed.
- Peak heart rate reached 87±8% of predicted maximum, with an early anaerobic threshold (AT) at 48±11% of VO2max.
Implications:
- Liver transplant recipients exhibit exercise limitations comparable to other solid organ transplant recipients.
- Potential causes include chronic deconditioning or immunosuppressive drug-induced myopathy.
- Further research is needed to explore interventions for improving exercise capacity in LTRs.
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