Fitness program cut transplant waitlist death risk by half, study finds

( NewsNation ) — Being a candidate for a transplant can be a scary proposition, but new research suggests patients who improve their fitness while awaiting the procedure may lower their risk of death.

A study conducted by Northwestern University and published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that frailty can be significantly improved through a personalized, physician-led fitness program.

“It doesn’t matter how severe their disease is,” Northwestern’s Dr. Andres Duarte-Rojo said. “If they exercise and do what we ask them to do, they see a major improvement in their fitness and reduce their mortality risk before transplantation.”

Duarte-Rojo and his team analyzed nearly 1,300 adult patients who were evaluated for liver transplantation between 2018 and 2022 at the University of Pittsburgh’s transplant center. Of the 1,300 participants, 355 were enrolled in the prehabilitation program.

Researchers tracked changes using three measures: grip strength, chair stands and the ability to maintain three balance positions. They found that 64 percent of patients in the prehabilitation program improved their scores, and those whose scores increased by at least 0.4 points had about a 50 percent lower risk of dying while waiting for a transplant.

“You don’t send these patients to the gym to lift 100 pounds,” Duarte-Rojo added. “You have to start low and progress slowly. But we find that the frailest ones often improve the most.”

According to the United Network of Organ Sharing , roughly 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant. Depending on the organ needed, average wait times can range from a few months to several years.