A Home-based Exercise and Physical Activity Intervention After Liver Transplantation: Impact of Exercise Intensity
Research demonstrated that surgical patients benefit from physical activity, but there is a gap in knowledge regarding the required intensity. In the PHOENIX-Liver study the researchers aim to investigate the optimal rehabilitation intensity after liver transplantation.

Patients will be randomized in one of the three PHOENIX-Liver training groups which all three rehabilitate at a different intensity (low, moderate, moderate to high). The six months rehabilitation training is conducted from the patient's home but supervised by a PHOENIX-investigator via electronical synchronization of extensive trainingsdata.

At baseline, after three months of training and after six months of training, a test moment takes place at which physical fitness, cardiovascular health, liver function, and body composition will be assessed. In the interim, questionnaires are taken monthly to survey well-being, safety, quality of life, physical activity, and cost-effectiveness.

To gather information on the potential for implementation in a real-world setting, a 15-month-long physical activity phase will start after the intervention phase. This entails a maintenance physical activity program tailored to the patients' preferences. A follow-up at Gasthuisberg is planned at three and at 15 months where the same clinical evaluations will be conducted as during the test moments of the intervention phase.
- EligibilityCriteria: Inclusion Criteria:  de novo adult liver transplant recipients with a transplant vintage of two to three months access to a home freezer (± -18°C)  Exclusion Criteria:  Aberrant CPET (abnormal low cardiorespiratory fitness is not considered an exclusion criteria), unstable angina, life-threatening arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension/diabetes, HbA1c ≥ 9%, severe pulmonary disease (FEV1 < 50%), musculoskeletal disorders not allowing physical training on a cycle ergometer, or any other medical reasons by the physician considered to be a contraindication for moderate or high-intensity physical exercise multi-organ transplantation (exception: combined liver-kidney transplant is considered eligible for participation) ongoing treatment for malignancies unable to understand Dutch no access to smartphone and/or computer with internet access does not willing to except the general conditions of Coachbox. Preparticipation medical screening (cardiopulmonary exercise testing with 12-lead ECG + stratification of cardiovascular risk factors) will be performed by a cardiologist (Dr. Kaatje Goetschalckx at UZ Leuven). - HealthyVolunteers: No - Gender: All - MinimumAge: 18 Years - StdAgeList: Adult, Older Adult