Page 13 - Physical activity in recipients of solid organ transplantation - Edwin J. van Adrichem

population.
14–17
diseases and its negative e

Long term patient survival after
Physical activity in recipients of solid organ transplantation
e prevalence of noncommunicable diseases caused by the earlier
mentioned life-style related factors is likely further increased in the transplant population
with the use of immunosuppressive medication. For instance, the use of corticosteroids is
associated with muscle myopathy, and the use of calcineurin inhibitors has a
ected
mitochondrial respiration and muscle degeneration in animal models.
18,19
e
use of
immunosuppressive medication is thereby associated with a prolonged reduced exercise
capacity after transplantation and inactivity. However, as this medication is required to
prevent the rejection of the new organ, all other resources to prevent the noncommunicable
Inactivity

ects on survival should be addressed.
Figure 1.

rst elective liver transplantation in adults (DBD donors) per
transplant period. Figure based on Watson CJE and Dark JH, original copyright 2012.2
Most of the noncommunicable diseases in the general population are (partly) preventable
though interventions directed at a healthy lifestyle.8
21
23
Physical inactivity is an important
20
contributor to the development of noncommunicable diseases
which is comparable to the elimination of the risk factors of smoking and obesity.
and is reported to be the
fourth leading cause of death worldwide.
With the elimination of physical inactivity, the
life expectancy of the world’s population might be expected to increase with 0.68 years,
22
It is suggested that 31% of the general population does not meet the minimum
recommended amount of physical activity.
Although the number of studies performed in
the transplant population is limited, the general impression is that the majority of these
recipients also do not meet the recommended amount and type of physical activity. A more
11.
1