Kidney Transplant

Research

Transplant Rehabilitation Research

UCSF Medical Center's transplant service and the Department of Physiological Nursing actively support research related to the rehabilitation of patients before and after transplant. Under the direction of Patricia Painter, Ph.D., we have several ongoing studies in this area.

The first study was an exercise intervention following kidney transplant, which determined that exercise training following transplant is not only safe, but is effective in optimizing physical functioning following transplant. At one year, patients who participated in regular exercise had significantly higher levels of physical functioning and quality of life than those who were not involved in regular exercise. It was important to note that those who remained inactive had exercise capacity at one year post transplant that was not much better than patients on dialysis.

We now are enrolling liver transplant recipients in a study of the effects of diet and exercise on body composition, exercise capacity and cardiovascular risk. We have also studied the differences in exercise capacity, muscle functioning and strength and quality of life in kidney transplant recipients not taking prednisone vs. those on prednisone therapy. Those patients withdrawn from prednisone within five days of transplant had great gains in exercise capacity and quality of life (specifically physical functioning and energy/fatigue scores) over the first year of transplant, and had larger muscle fibers and muscle strength compared to those remaining on prednisone.

We also are involved in studies to increase exercise capacity and quality of life in patients treated with dialysis prior to transplantation.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007