Prehabilitation in patients awaiting liver transplantation

Background: Frailty, malnutrition and sarcopenia lead to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality before and after liver transplantation (LT). Prehabilitation attempts to optimize physical fitness of individuals before major surgeries. To date, little is known about its impact on patients awaiting LT.

Aims: The aim of our scoping review was to describe whether prehabilitation in patients awaiting LT is feasible and safe, and whether it leads to a change in clinical parameters before or after transplantation.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature from 1946 to November 2023 to identify prospective studies and randomized controlled trials of adult LT candidates who participated in an exercise training program.

Results: Out of 3262 citations initially identified, six studies were included. Studies were heterogeneous in design, patient selection, intervention, duration, and outcomes assessed. All studies were self-described as pilot or feasibility studies and had a sample size ranging from 13 to 33. Two studies were randomized controlled trials. Two study restricted to patients with cirrhosis who were eligible for liver transplantation or on the transplant list. Exercise programs lasted between 6 and 12 weeks. In terms of feasibility, proportion of eligible patients that were recruited was between 54 and 100%. Program completion ranged between 38 and 90%. Interventions appeared safe with 9 (9.2%) adverse events noted. In the intervention group, improvements were generally noted in peak oxygen consumption and workload, 6-min walking distance, and muscle strength. One study suggested a decrease in post-transplant hospital length of stay.

Conclusions: Overall, it appears that prehabilitation with exercise training is feasible, and safe in patients awaiting LT. Higher quality and larger studies are needed to confirm its impact on pre- and post-transplantation-related outcomes.