title: Association Between Dyspnea and Severity of Liver Disease in Patients in the Pre-transplantation Period-A Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver transplantation is indicated at the end stage of chronic liver failure, and severity of disease will determine the precocity of this happening. At this stage, the presence of chronic dyspnea is one of several manifestations of progression of the disease, which leads the patient to inactivity. A rehabilitation program can positively influence the evolution of liver transplant recipients. The objective of this study was to establish an association between the perception of dyspnea and the severity of liver disease in patients at a single center of a Brazilian liver pre-transplantation clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements were performed at a liver pre-transplantation clinic. The severity of liver disease was assessed with the use of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and dyspnea was assessed with the use of a modified Medical Research Council scale of dyspnea (mMRC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men had a higher prevalence of viral hepatitis. Dyspnea was reported only during intense exercise. Duration of disease and MELD score showed medians of 49 months and 20, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no correlation between mMRC and the MELD score. In addition, no correlation was found between duration of disease and MELD score or mMRC.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Monte da Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: deA Roza Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Master's and Doctoral Programs in Physical Therapy, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: lu_chiavegato@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chiavegato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease; D005260:Female; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014850:Waiting Lists