Page 17 - Physical activity in recipients of solid organ transplantation - Edwin J. van Adrichem

Physical activity in recipients of solid organ transplantation
Aims and outline of this thesis
As indicated, there is promising but minimal evidence on the bene

ts of physical activity in
recipients of solid organ transplantation. Additionally, the amount of knowledge on the
physical activity level of this population is limited. Associated factors of the level of
physical activity and the barriers to and facilitators of it are largely unexplored in this
speci

c population.

is thesis aims to increase the knowledge on the physical activity level
in recipients of solid organ transplantation, the barriers to and facilitators of it, and the
determinants and/or correlates of it after transplantation. An overview of associated factors
of physical activity being addressed is schematically provided in Figure 1.
barriers to and facilitators of it and the determinants and/or correlates can be used in

e indication of
intervention development to target the level of physical activity after solid organ
transplantation.
Figure 1.
Schematic representation of
and heart transplantation.
associated factors of physical activity in recipients of kidney, liver, lung,
In an earlier study
28
, it was shown that there is an association between lower levels
of physical activity and increased mortality in kidney transplant recipients. However, as
previously indicated, the incidence of cardiovascular disease is three to

ve times higher in
kidney transplant recipients, and cardiac dysfunction and heart failure are highly prevalent.

is potentially limits the ability to be physically active, and cardiac dysfunction, therefore,
could potentially in

uence the indicated association between physical activity and
mortality.
Chapter 2
is aimed to further investigate the relationship and to study the
possible interference of cardiac function in the association between physical activity and
mortality.
Where a number of studies have been performed into the associated factors of
exercise capacity after solid organ transplantation, these studies all focused on maximal
exercise capacity. It is expected that similar physiological processes underlie exercise
15.
1