Benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation to Patients Post Liver Transplant

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Liver Transplant Surgery
• Interventions: Procedure: Inspiratory muscle Training; Procedure: Routine Care

• Registration Number: NCT06606184
• Lead Sponsor: Chang Gung University

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial was to access the benefits of a 12-week home-based pulmonary rehabilitation regimen on pulmonary function recovery in post-liver transplant patients. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does pulmonary rehabilitation facilitate pulmonary muscle strength recovery? Does the intervention improve pulmonary function and reduce dyspnea sensation?

Participants performed:

Inspiratory muscle training twice a day for 12 weeks after discharged from the hospital Upper limb resistive training Lower limb exercise

Detailed Description

Patients undergoing liver transplantation often face significant challenges related to pulmonary rehabilitation. Although postoperative rehabilitation has been extensively studied, the specific role of pulmonary rehabilitation programs has received limited attention. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program in improving respiratory function recovery among post-liver transplant patients. The training group participated in a 12-week pulmonary rehabilitation program post-discharge, emphasizing respiratory muscle and exercise training, while the control group received standard care, which included traditional rehabilitation.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-31
• Study Completion: 2023-12-31
• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Study First Submitted: 2024-09-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-09-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-09-18
• Study First Posted: 2024-09-20
• Last Update Posted: 2024-09-20

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 78

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 20 years or older
• Scheduled to undergo living donor liver transplantation
• Stable vital signs
• Normal cognitive function
• Able to perform activities independently using their own strength and coordination
• Willing and able to participate in 12 weeks of rehabilitation training

Exclusion Criteria

• Severe physical illness during the operation
• Acute bleeding
• Unstable vital signs
• Hepatic encephalopathy, or neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, or cognitive dysfunction
• Limited mobility (e.g., unable to stand, lift upper limbs, or bedridden)
• Inability to comply with 12 weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation post-discharge
• Unstable vital signs
• Hepatoencephalopathy, such as cardiovascular accident, Parkinson disease, cognitive dysfunction
• Those with limited mobility (unable to stand, unable to lift upper limbs, or bedridden)
• Those who are unable to cooperate with the 12 weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation exercises after discharge.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Inspiratory Muscle Training group	Inspiratory muscle Training	Participants received a 12-week inspiratory muscle training and incentive spirometry therapy after discharged from hospital
Routine care	Routine Care	Participants received incentive spirometry therapy only

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Respiratory Muscle Stregnth Test	Throughout the study completion, approximately 3 month	Respiratory muscle strength was determined by Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) using a pressure monometer.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Oxygenation status	Participants underwent maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure measurements at four time points: upon admission, before discharge from the intensive care unit, before discharge from the hospital, and at the end of the 12-week enrollment period.	Oxygen saturation was monitored using a pulse oximeter.
Dyspnea Severity Assessment	Throughout the study completion, approximately 3 month	Dyspnea severity was assessed by a rating of perceived exertion, using the Borg Scale which ranged from 0 (no respiratory difficulty) to 10 (extreme respiratory difficulty), with higher scores indicating more severe breathing difficulty.
Forced Vital Capacity	Throughout the study completion, approximately 3 month	The forced vital capacity was obtained, using spirometry, by having the patient take a deep breath and then exhale forcefully. The test results were based on three reproducible measurements.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; 🇨🇳 Kaohsiung, Taiwan