title: Longitudinal analysis of physical activity, fluid intake, and graft function among kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: Self-care is recommended to kidney transplant recipients as a vital component to maintain long-term graft function. However, little is known about the effects of physical activity, fluid intake, and smoking history on graft function. This longitudinal study examined the relationship between self-care practices on graft function among 88 new kidney transplant recipients in Chicago, IL and Albany, NY between 2005 and 2008. Participants were interviewed, completed surveys, and medical charts were abstracted. Physical activity, fluid intake, and smoking history at baseline were compared with changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (every 6 months up to 1 year) using bivariate and multivariate regression analysis, while controlling for sociodemographic and clinical transplant variables. Multivariate analyses revealed that greater physical activity was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with improvement in GFR at 6 months; while greater physical activity, absence of smoking history, and nonwhite ethnicity were significant (P < 0.05) predictors of improvement in GFR at 12 months. These results suggest that increasing physical activity levels in kidney recipients may be an effective behavioral measure to help ensure graft functioning. Our findings suggest the need for a randomized controlled trial of exercise, fluid intake, and smoking history on GFR beyond 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Institute for Healthcare Studies, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. elisajillgordon@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Elisa J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Prohaska
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gallant
authors.forename: Ashwini R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Strogatz
authors.forename: Recai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yucel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Siminoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D012648:Self Care; D012907:Smoking; D013894:Thirst / Q000502:physiology*