Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics.
| Characteristic | HET (n = 20) | UC (n = 20) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 53.0 ± 8.3 | 56.4 ± 8.5 | 0.84 |
| Male gender, n (%) | 10 (50) | 13 (65) | 0.34 |
| Charlson comorbidity index | 4.0 ± 1.3 | 4.1 ± 1.0 | 0.89 |
| Etiology of cirrhosis, n (%) | |||
| •Alcohol induced | 5 (25) | 6 (30) | 0.9 |
| •NASH | 5 (25) | 5 (25) | |
| •Hepatitis C | 7 (25) | 5 (25) | |
| •Other | 3 (15) | 4 (20) | |
| Severity of liver disease | |||
| •MELD score | 9.05 | 9.70 | 0.50 |
| •Child-Pugh score | 6.35 | 6.26 | 0.84 |
| •Child-Pugh A/B (%) | 14/6 (70/30) | 14/6 (70/30) | 0.80 |
| Use of diuretics, n (%) | 9 (45) | 5 (25) | 0.32 |
| History of varices n (%) | 14 (70) | 15 (75) | 0.72 |
| Variceal prophylaxis, n (%) | 3 (15) | 8 (40) | |
| •TIPS in place | 0 (0) | 1 (5) | 0.16 |
| •Primary prophylaxis | 2 (10) | 4 (20) | |
| •Secondary prophylaxis | 1 (5) | 3 (15) | |
| Use of β-blocker, n (%) | 3 (15) | 5 (25) | 0.70 |
| Hemoglobin (g/L) | 133.5 ± 15.7 | 132.5 ± 14.7 | 0.84 |
*The etiology of liver disease in the Other category included hepatitis B (n = 3), autoimmune hepatitis (n = 2), primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 1), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 1).
Abbreviations: MELD, Model for End Stage Liver Disease; TIPS, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt; VO2, oxygen uptake.