Análise da capacidade física de pacientes com doença hepática gordurosa não-alcoólica

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects an average of 25% of the world population. Depending on the stage of the disease, metabolic changes and decline in physical capacity may occur. The aim of the study was to analyze and associate NAFLD stage with the physical capacity of patients. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study was carried out in patients from the Gastroenterology/Hepatology Service of the Santa Casa de Misericordia de Porto Alegre (ISCMPA) Brotherhood, who underwent liver biopsy and histopathological analysis according to Kleiner's classification. The patients reported self-reported data, performed the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the Handgrip Strength Test (HGT) to assess their physical capacity. Statistical analysis used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Wilcoxon test to verify normality, the paired T test for the significance of observed vs. predicted 6MWT, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Tukey's Post-Hoc test for histology, 6MWT and HGS, and Spearman's nonparametric test for correlations. Results: 54 patients of both genders diagnosed with NAFLD were analyzed. There was a correlation between the practice of physical exercises with the 6MWT (ρ .462; p<0.05) and with the HGT(ρ .391; p<0.05), and between fibrosis and dyslipidemia (ρ .466; p< 0.05). In the 6MWT, 49 patients failed to achieve the predicted 6MWT. Conclusion: The population with NAFLD was shown to have lower physical capacity than the estimate of a healthy population. No data were found that characterize a relationship between the 6MWT and the histological classification of the disease.