Instructed Home-based Physical Exercise for Patients With Liver Cirrhosis

Instructed Home-based Physical Exercise for Patients With Liver Cirrhosis

The study will compare two forms of advice regarding physical activity for patients hospitalized with cirrhosis that are preparing for leaving the hospital. One arm consists of current standard of care: simple oral advice on exercise. One arm instead gives patients a structured but simple paper template on physical activity.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Liver cirrhosis diagnosed with previous clinical assessment and radiology (de-formed liver, noduli, varices, collaterals, splenomegaly >12 cm) or with biopsy (fibrosis grade 4). ICD-code K70.3, K74.6.
• MELD < 25
• Understanding the Swedish language.
• Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Performance status ≥3.
• Severe pain which prevents the patient to perform the physical activities, as judged by the attending physician at time of discharge.
• Previously liver transplanted
• Unlikely to be compliant to follow-up (living in other parts of Sweden), as judged by the attending physician at time of discharge.