Eleven hospitalized patients (mean age of 53 years) who suffered from hepatic cirrhosis with esophageal (or gastric) varices were brought to a physical training program. The program consisted of voluntary walking, stair climbing and exercise on a treadmill or on a bicycle ergometer, lasting for 14 days-3 months.
All of the 11 patients acquired general well-being after the training program. Six of them who received an exercise testing showed improved physical fitness after the training program as proved by the reduced pulse rate during exercise or increased tolerance to an exercise load. Some of the patients showed slightly or moderately increased values in hepatic function tests, however, none of them showed physical signs indicating aggravation of the disease. Among 6 patients with so-called hepatogenic diabetes mellitus, amount of insulin required was reduced in 4 patients and glucose output in urine was reduced in all of the 6 patients after the training program, indicating an improved glucose metabolism in those patients. All of the patients, including 6 patients who underwent surgical treatment for varices, were discharged from the hospital in good performance status.
These results indicated that patients with hepatic cirrhosis could safely undergo physical reconditioning which benefits the patients in terms of regaining physical fitness for surgical treatment or for social life.