title: Functional status, respiratory muscle strength, and quality of life in patients with cirrhosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver diseases are responsible for metabolic disorders and loss of muscle mass and function that affect functional status and quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare exercise capacity, respiratory muscle strength, and QoL in liver transplant candidates with cirrhosis of the following etiologies: hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and alcoholic cirrhosis (AC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study comprising 86 patients divided into three groups: HCV (40 patients), HBV (14 patients), and AC (32 patients). Patients were evaluated using the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), manometry, and the QoL questionnaire SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AC group showed the lowest performance in the 6MWT (meters) compared to the HBV and HCV groups (373.50 ± 50.48, 464.16 ± 32, and 475.94 ± 27.84, respectively, p=0.001). In the domains of the SF-36, the AC group had lower scores for functional capacity and physical limitations when compared to the HBV and HCV groups (p=0.001). In the comparison of respiratory muscle strength, the AC group had lower MIP (cmH2O) compared to the HBV and HCV groups (-65.54 ± 11.28, -71.61 ± 6.96, -82.44 ± 13.71, respectively, p=0.001). The MEP (cmH2O) in the AC group was also lower than in the HBV and HCV groups (65.13 ± 10.74, 82.44 ± 13.87, 83.44 ± 12.20, respectively, p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AC group showed worse exercise capacity, respiratory muscle strength, and QoL compared to patients with HCV and HBV.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Hepatologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. ucasgalant@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Lucas H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Galant
authors.forename: Luiz A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Forgiarini Junior
authors.forename: Alexandre S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Cláudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marroni
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D011788:Quality of Life; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*