Publication Date
8-1-2022
Journal
Transplantation Direct
DOI
10.1097/TXD.0000000000001347
PMID
37077732
PMCID
PMC10109156
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
7-15-2022
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-Print
Published Open-Access
yes
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has limited liver transplant (LT) candidates access to clinics. Telehealth methods to assess frailty are needed. We developed a method to estimate the step length of LT candidates, which would permit remotely obtaining the 6-min walk test (6MWT) distance with a personal activity tracker (PAT).
METHODS: 6MWT was performed while candidates wore a PAT. On first 21 subjects (stride cohort), the step length was measured and compared with calculated one (6MWT-distance/6MWT steps). On a second cohort (PAT-6MWT; n = 116), we collected the 6MWT step count and used multivariable models to generate formulas estimating step length. We multiplied the estimated step length times 6MWT steps to estimate the distance and compared it to the measured distance. The liver frailty index (LFI) and 6MWT were used as frailty metrics.
RESULTS: Measured/calculated step length were highly correlated (ρ = 0.85;
CONCLUSIONS: We created a method to obtain 6MWT distance remotely with the use of a PAT. This novel approach opens the possibility of performing telemedicine PAT-6MWT to monitor LT candidates' frailty status.
Graphical Abstract