Physical frailty in liver transplantation

Abstract

In patients with cirrhosis, frailty represents a status of global physical dysfunction associated with a multiplicity of factors, including muscle wasting, undernutrition and malnutrition, and functional impairment. This condition is particularly prevalent among those with advanced cirrhosis, such as liver transplant (LT) candidates. Studies in this vulnerable population have demonstrated that its presence is independently predictive of adverse outcomes both pre- and post-transplantation, and thus that its incorporation into clinical practice could result in improved clinical decision-making, particularly regarding the identification of candidates for physical and nutritional interventions. There are, however, some limitations to its immediate incorporation into organ allocation prioritization models, including the wide heterogeneity of instruments used for measuring frailty, and particularly the lack of a single one suitable in all LT clinical scenarios (inpatient vs outpatient; pre- vs post-transplant). Finally, the data on the potential effects of frailty improvement on the diverse range of outcome measures are still preliminary.