Changes in muscle morphology in dialysis patients after 6 months of aerobic exercise training.
BACKGROUND
In the present study we investigated the effect of a 6-month aerobic exercise programme on the morphology of the gastrocnemius muscle of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients.


METHODS
Twenty-four ESRD patients volunteered to participate in the training programme and underwent muscle biopsy before training. Eighteen patients completed the training programme of whom nine agreed to a post-training biopsy (one woman and eight men, mean age 56 +/- 15 years). Data are presented for the nine subjects who were biopsied before (PRE) and after training (POST) and separately for the 15 subjects for whom we only have a biopsy before training (cross-sectional group).


RESULTS
There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in fibre type distribution or myosin heavy chain (MyHC) expression between the cross-sectional and PRE/POST groups. The mean cross-section fibre area after training (POST) increased by 46% compared with the PRE training status (P < 0.01). The proportion of atrophic fibres decreased significantly after training in type I, IIa and IIx fibre populations (from 51 to 15%, 58 to 21% and 62 to 32%, respectively). Significant differences were also found in capillary contact per fibre (CC/F), with the muscle having 24% (P < 0.05) more CC/F compared with the PRE training status. No significant differences in cytochrome c oxidase concentration were found between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, exercise appeared to be beneficial in renal rehabilitation by correcting the fibre atrophy, increasing the cross-section fibre area and improving the capillarization in the skeletal muscle of renal failure patients.
Sakkas
Giorgos K
GK
Centre for Biophysical and Clinical Research into Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. fsakkas@itsa.ucsf.edu
Sargeant
Anthony J
AJ
Mercer
Thomas H
TH
Ball
Derek
D
Koufaki
Pelagia
P
Karatzaferi
Christina
C
Naish
Patrick F
PF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006435:Renal Dialysis