title: Objective measures of health-related quality of life over 24 months post-liver transplantation.
abstract: Many studies have reported improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from pre- to immediate post-orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, few studies have evaluated longitudinal changes over the first 2 yr post-OLT and none have simultaneously examined objective measures of health-related fitness. A total of 50 OLT recipients (32 males,18 females; 51.4 +/- 11.8 yr) completed testing at 2, 6, 12, and 24 months post-OLT. Testing included assessment of exercise capacity (peak VO2), quadriceps muscle strength, body composition, physical activity participation, and self-reported functioning (SF-36). Repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc contrasts was performed to determine differences over time and a second ANOVA assessed differences over time between genders. All patients increased peak VO2, quadriceps muscle strength, and percent body fat (p < 0.0001) from 2 to 24 months. Men and women differed in their changes of peak VO2 and percent body fat (p < 0.05). At 24 months, only 50% of the patients reported participating in regular physical activity. All SF-36 physical measures except general health, improved from 2 to 24 months (p < 0.0001). Measures of health-related fitness and QoL improve over the first 2 yr post-OLT with the greatest gains occurring in the first 6 months and all measures remain lower than recommended for cardiovascular and overall health. A randomized clinical trial of lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise intervention is warranted to determine the impact of such modifications on HRQoL and fitness post-OLT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 941430-0610, USA. jokras@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Joanne B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Krasnoff
authors.forename: Andrea Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Vintro
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Ascher
authors.forename: Nathan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.forename: Marylin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Painter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors