Evaluation of Frailty and Functional Capacity in End-Stage Liver Disease

The decrease in functional capacity is a finding that affects quality of life in chronic liver diseases. In a study, 6 Minute Walk Test was associated with mortality in patients with cirrhosis and survival was lower in patients walking less than 250 meters. Malnutrition is a common complication of end-stage liver disease. It is a complex condition that causes loss of muscle and fat mass, loss of body weight, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, anorexia and fatigue, resulting in sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is generally defined as a loss of muscle mass and muscle strength and is directly related to adverse outcomes in these patients. In the evaluation of malnutrition in end-stage liver disease, evaluation of skeletal muscle (mass, strength, functionality) provides an objective way to determine malnutrition, since most intrinsic markers originate from existing liver disease (eg albumin, prealbumin, lymphopenia levels).