Patients over 70 years old with Chronic kidney disease (CKD) had higher Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores after 6 months of intradialytic exercise therapy, compared to patients without exercise therapy, according to a recent study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Exercise is fundamentally important in managing chronic diseases and improving health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, whether intradialytic exercise is safe through assessment of changes in dialytic parameters and has a positive impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) and depression status of hemodialysis patients requires further research with diverse racial and cultural populations to identify.
A group of researchers from Taiwan conducted a study to evaluate the effects of intradialytic exercise on dialytic parameters, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and depression status in hemodialysis patients. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at a medical center in Northern Taiwan. Sixty-four hemodialysis patients were recruited using stratified random sampling. Participants were randomized into an experimental group (EG) (EG, n = 32) or a control group (CG) (CG, n = 32). The experimental group (EG) received a 12-week intradialytic exercise program while the control group (CG) maintained their usual lifestyles. Dialytic parameters, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and depression status were collected at baseline and at 12 weeks.
The results of the study are as follows:
No differences in the dialytic parameters from the baseline between both groups.
However, the experimental group (EG) had increased health-related quality of life (HRQL) (ß = 22.6, p < 0.001) and reduced depression status (ß = −7.5, p = 0.02) at 12 weeks compared to the control group (CG). Therefore, the researchers concluded that a 12-week intradialytic exercise regime is safe and effective in improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) and reducing depression status for hemodialysis patients.
Reference:
Effects of Intradialytic Exercise on Dialytic Parameters, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Depression Status in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial by Chia-Huei Lin et al. published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179205