Physical Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis

Neuromuscular Electric Stimulation and Exercises Effect on Functional Exercise Performance and Quality of Life in Cases of Liver Cirrhosis

Patients with liver cirrhosis have severe physical deconditioning. Aim: To compare between the effect of neuromuscular electric stimulation(NMES) and exercises (EX)on treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis.

70 patients have been chosen from department of internal medicine, Cairo university hospitals, Egypt. 5 patients refused to participate .65 patients divided randomly into 2 groups. All the procedures were explained to patients.2 patients refused to sign informed consent and excluded from the study. 31 patients in group1 and 32 patients in group2. 1patients dropped in group1 and excluded from the study and two patients didn't continued the programmed treatment in group 2 and their data removed.

Thirty patients in each group signed an informed consent and complete the treatment program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Positive for anti-HCV.
• Not under antiviral therapy at entry.
• Positive for chronic hepatitis or compensated cirrhosis.
• Negative for hepatitis B surface (HBs) antigen.
• Free of co-infection with HIV.
• Not pregnant.
• Systolic blood pressure of less than 180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of less than 110 mmHg.
• (viii)No ischemic heart disease or severe arrhythmia

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant cardiac disease (ejection fraction <60% or history of coronary artery disease).
• Chronic renal failure on dialysis.
• Hemoglobin <11.0 g/L.
• Human immunodeficiency virus infection.
• Hepatocellular carcinoma.
• Active non-hepatocellular carcinoma related malignancy.
• Myopathy.
• Any physical impairment or orthopedic abnormality preventing EX, or post-liver transplantation