Intradialytic physical exercise effects in physical fitness, functional status, quality of life and body composition in people undergoing hemodialysis.

Amanda Lucía Páez-Rodríguez, Eliana Zambrano-Hendez, Edgar Cortés-Reyes, Vicent Esteve-Simó
Purpose:

To develop and implement an intradialytic program of physical exercise, in order to describe its effects in physical fitness, functional status, quality of life, and body composition in people with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Methods:

This pre-post study involved 28 ambulatory individuals receiving care at the hemodialysis unit of the Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. A 10-week physical exercise program combining aerobic and resistance training was implemented using an undulating periodization model. The program was conducted twice weekly, with sessions lasting approximately 40-60 minutes each. The following assessments were conducted before and after the program: maximum knee extension strength, handgrip dynamometry, 2-Minute Step Test (2MST), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), EuroQoL-5D (EQ-5D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). For the statistical analysis the SPSS software was used.

Results:

Out of the four categories that were evaluated, which included 33 measurements, 19 showed positive mean differences: three in physical fitness, six in functional status, one in quality of life, and seven in body composition. Among these, only three measurements reached statistical significance with a p value 0.05: 2MST (-11.71 ± 12.96; p = 0.001), total SPPB score (-0.69 ± 1.62; p = 0.039), and musculoskeletal mass index from BIA (-0.22 ± 0.48; p = 0.024).

Conclusion(s):

Intradialysis exercise offers multiple benefits to people undergoing hemodialysis increasing their functional independence and perception of quality of life. Therefore, this program should continue to be implemented worldwide by physiotherapists and supported by nephrologists and renal unit directors. This approach can lead to more conclusive results for this population by providing a more comprehensive, long-term intervention that includes the prescription of other qualities such as balance, proprioception, motor control, and executive functions.

Implications:

The study gives evidence of the effects of intradialytic physical exercise on people with Chronic Kidney Disease, and the relevance of implementing this type of programs supervised by physiotherapist in the renal units.

Funding acknowledgements:
This research was conducted without any external funding.
Keywords:
Physical Exercise
Hemodialysis
Physiotherapy
Primary topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Second topic:
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors
Third topic:
Other
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
The Research Ethics Committee for Medications of the Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa
Provide the ethics approval number:
01-21-108-057
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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