Is physical exercise harmful to liver transplantation recipients? Review of literature

Abstract

Liver transplantation is a treatment that significantly improves the patients' quality of life. However, we should be more ambitious and seek an improvement in their fitness through training protocols allowing them to fully return to daily activities. English and Spanish-language articles on PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched untill 2014. Articles were reviewed by 2 of the authors to determine if they were suitable for inclusion. It is shown a compilation of studies that included patients who have participated in aerobic, strength, or both combined training programs, without implying a risk for the graft function. There is a lack of studies with high scientific evidence that stablish a proper exercise program methodology, supervised by specialists in physical activity and sports.

Keywords: Calidad de vida; Capacidad funcional; Capacidad física; Ejercicio físico; Fuerza; Functional ability; Ortothopic liver transplantation; Physical capacity; Physical exercise; Quality of life; Strength; Trasplante de hígado.