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Home-based LIver FrailTy Intervention (LIFT) in Transplant Candidates: A Feasibility Study
Avesh J Thuluvath1,2, Praneet Polineni1, Sheila Morrissey3
1Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
Transplantation
|March 19, 2025
Summary
A home-based frailty intervention improved frailty in liver transplant candidates. This pilot study demonstrated feasibility and meaningful clinical improvement, highlighting potential for future trials to assess efficacy and impact on survival.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Geriatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Frailty is common in end-stage liver disease, predicting poor outcomes.
- Interventions to reverse frailty in this population are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the feasibility of a home-based frailty intervention for liver transplant candidates.
- To create a dynamic and personalized exercise program using technology.
Main Methods:
- Pilot study involving 54 patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation.
- Utilized home exercise equipment, a smartphone app, and remote assessments.
- Compared intervention group to a retrospective control group.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed a significant improvement in the Liver Frailty Index (LFI), indicating reduced frailty.
- The control group did not experience significant changes in LFI.
- Adherence to exercise was 56%, with a decline over time, suggesting a need for sustained engagement.
Conclusions:
- A home-based frailty intervention is feasible for liver transplant candidates.
- The intervention demonstrated a clinically meaningful improvement in frailty.
- Further research, including RCTs, is needed to confirm efficacy and clinical impact.
