Viral hepatitis and exercise

Abstract

Increase awareness and publicity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has fostered a heightened sense of concern regarding the transmission of infectious agents during sports and athletic competition. Although the potential risk is low, there are other unanswered questions and issues regarding infectious disease and sports. Viral hepatitis is a common infection and predominantly affects the young who are most likely to lead active lives and engage in both amateur and competitive sport-related activity. This article summarizes the common forms of viral hepatitis and the associated clinical syndromes. In addition, a review of the literature addressing the effect of exercise and the various states of liver disease is presented. Finally, I will address the question regarding participation and return to physical activity following acute viral hepatitis, as well as chronic hepatitis.

Risk of Hepatitis B and C Infections in Tehranian Wrestlers

“…2,4,11,12 Globally, the most common method of HBV transmission during adulthood is heterosexual contact with an infected partner (because this exposure occurs most often), followed by injected-drug abuse and then homosexual contact. 22,36 Therefore, the main methods of transmission of BBIs in athletes are probably not associated with sporting activity but similar to those for the general population, such as unsafe sexual activity and sharing needles. 2,3,37,38 High risk for BBIs might be determined based not on the risk of bleeding injuries in a given sport but on the prevalence of these high-risk behaviors that are related to other factors, such as sociocultural factors and pressures within sports to abuse injected drugs.…”

Impact of hepatitis C virus infection on lifestyle

“…It is surprising that one third of subjects who reported sports activity had modified their habits after the diagnosis of hepatitis C. However, changes in sports practicing after the diagnosis of hepatitis C were strongly related to previous antiviral treatment and we cannot exclude that some patients modified their habits particularly as a consequence of adverse effects such as asthenia or nausea. On the other hand, our results may suggest the existence of a misconception regarding the need for people affected by liver disease to refrain from significant physical exertion, possibly as a result of the tradition to prescribe a strict bed-rest during acute hepatitis, in spite of the availability of evidence against this [24] . Although no specific dietary recommendations can be made for most persons with HCV infection excluding patients with cirrhosis, steatosis, obesity and other metabolic disease [27][28][29] , sixty-four percent (176/275) of our patients modified their dietary habits after the diagnosis www.wjgnet.com of hepatitis C. The most frequent modification was the reduction of dietary fat intake (40.8% of the answers).…”

“…Cur rently, there is no evidence resulting from controlled clinical trials in favour or against physical activity in patients with chronic liver disease [24] . Groups of patients affected by liver cirrhosis studied so far seem to tolerate physical activity like vigorous walking, swimming and ergometer bicycle training without deterioration of liver function [24] .…”

“…Groups of patients affected by liver cirrhosis studied so far seem to tolerate physical activity like vigorous walking, swimming and ergometer bicycle training without deterioration of liver function [24] . Some studies conducted in the 80s seemed to demonstrate the innocuous effect of physical exercise on chronic hepatitis [25,26] while when daily physical labour is strenuous (over 2 h), it seems to be related to elevated ALT levels [9] .…”

Acute hepatic response to diet modification and exercise-induced endotoxemia during a laboratory-based duathlon

“…Since LBP is produced by hepatocytes [59], we expected in the low-CHO diet to find an inverse correlation between LPS-LBP and ALT, a serum transaminase more specific to hepatocellular injury [24].…”