A twelve week exercise program improves the psychological status, quality of life and work capacity in hemodialysis patients.
BACKGROUND
Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) are restricted in physical, emotional and social dimensions of life due to their treatment and their comorbid medical conditions. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week exercise program on the functional capacity, functional mobility, walking capacity, quality of life and depression in patients with renal failure on hemodialysis (HD).


METHODS
Twenty patients with renal failure on HD were included and 14 of them completed the study. The patients went through a 12-week exercise program of 90 min/day, 3 days a week. Exercise and walking capacity, functional mobility, psychological status and quality of life were evaluated pre- and post-training.


RESULTS
Following the exercise, peak oxygen consumption, exercise duration and peak workload improved significantly (respectively, p=0.006, p=0.002 and p=0.002). There were significant improvements in the sit-to-stand-to-sit test and the 6- min walk test (p<0.001 and p=0.002). There was a significant reduction in the depression score (p<0.001). Both physical component scale (PCS) and mental component scale (MCS) of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire showed significant increases (respectively, p=0.002 and p=0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
The application of an appropriate exercise program would improve psychological status and quality of life, as well as work capacity in long-term maintenance HD patients.
Levendoğlu
Funda
F
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
Altintepe
Lütfullah
L
Okudan
Nilsel
N
Uğurlu
Hatice
H
Gökbel
Hakki
H
Tonbul
Zeki
Z
Güney
Ibrahim
I
Türk
Süleyman
S
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis