Evaluation of functional status, pulmonary capacity, body composition, and quality of life of end-stage liver disease patients who are candidates for liver surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Muscular weakness in combination with malnutrition can induce a global motor impairment and physical inactivity, adversely impairing the daily living activities and quality of life of end-stage liver disease patients who are candidates for liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate functional status, pulmonary capacity, body composition and quality of life in end-stage liver disease patients who are candidates for liver transplantation; to verify if there is a correlation between the functional variables of the individuals tested through the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and covariables: pulmonary function test (PFP), quality of life and body composition.
METHODS: This study was carried out at the Liver Transplantation Unit of the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). We included 46 patients with end-stage liver disease who underwent the following evaluations: medical history, quality of life questionnaire "Short Form 36" (SF-36), surface electromyography (sEMG) of the diaphragm and rectus abdominis muscles, body composition assessment by electrical vioimpedance (BIA), 6MWT and PFP.
RESULTS: Univariate analysis and Pearson's correlation found correlations between distance walked on 6MWT and QOL (P = .006 and P = .02) and TBW (P = .5 and P = .02). Pearson's correlation were found between respiratory variables of 6MWT, QOL, and PFP.
CONCLUSION: The functional status may be correlated to body composition, quality of life and pulmonary capacity of patients with liver disease, candidates for transplantation.