ISOMETRIC MUSCLE STRENGTH IN ALCOHOLIC AND NONALCOHOLIC LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION CANDIDATES

Intensity of isometric muscle contractions was measured in alcoholic s ubjects with cirrhosis (N = 42), nonalcoholic subjects with cirrhosis (N = 33), and normal controls (N = 31). Muscle strength and endurance were comparable in the alcoholic and nonalcoholic cirrhotic subjects f or all variables. Both cirrhotic groups were inferior to normal contro ls for all variables. The quantity x frequency (Q X F) index reported for the period during peak alcohol consumption correlated with 6 muscl e-force variables, accounting for 9-20% of the variance. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic cirrhotic subjects did not differ in Quality of Life Inv entory (QOLI) scales. Significant correlations, however, were found fo r the alcoholic cirrhotic subjects but not for the nonalcoholic cirrho tic subjects between quality-of-life indices and muscle strength and e ndurance. Muscle weakness is thus differentially associated with quali ty of life in alcoholic cirrhotic subjects as compared with nonalcohol ic subjects with cirrhosis even though level of strength and endurance in the two groups is comparable.