Effects of an Exercise Programme on Functional Capacity, Body Composition and Risk of Falls in Patients with Cirrhosis : A Randomized Clinical Trial

Altres ajuts: This study was partially funded by Fundación MAPFRE [] and Decathlon Foundation [] to buy the material and apparatus to perform the exercise and the relaxation programmes. The authors do not have any potential competing interest with the funders. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscriptPatients with cirrhosis often have functional limitations, decreased muscle mass, and a high risk of falls. These variables could improve with exercise. The aim was to study the effects of moderate exercise on functional capacity, body composition and risk of falls in patients with cirrhosis. Twenty-three cirrhotic patients were randomized to an exercise programme (n = 14) or to a relaxation programme (n = 9). Both programmes consisted of a one-hour session 3 days a week for 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of the study, we measured functional capacity using the cardiopulmonary exercise test, evaluated body composition using anthropometry and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and estimated risk of falls using the Timed Up&Go test. In the exercise group, cardiopulmonary exercise test showed an increase in total effort time (p