title: Changes in physical functional performance and quality of life in hemodialysis patients in Taiwan: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the long-term changes in physical functional performance and quality of life in hemodialysis patients living in the community in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study monitored 27 ambulatory hemodialysis patients for 16 months living in the community in Taiwan. Physical capacity (6-minute walk test, grip strength, pinch strength and chair-rising time), maximal cardiovascular fitness test, functional performance (Functional Independence Measure) and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 17 men and 7 women, with a mean age of 61.3 (+/- 9.0) years. The results showed significantly decreased pinch strength (right hand: from 6.4 kg to 4.5 kg, p=0.009; left hand: from 5.6 kg to 4.7 kg, p=0.017) and decreased quality of life (from 89.5 to 85.3 for WHOQOL-BREF total score, p=0.026), especially in the domain of physical health and subcategories of concentrating ability, satisfaction with working ability and sex life, and "eating foods whenever wanted," over the 16-month period. Maximal cardiovascular fitness and functional performance remained stationary during the 16-month period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significantly declined pinch strength and quality of life, with maintained maximal cardiovascular fitness and functional performance, were noted in ambulatory hemodialysis patients over the 16-month period of follow-up. An intensive pinch strengthening program and overall improvement in quality of life for these patients is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ru-Lan
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Hsiao-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shih-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Hsuan
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chia-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chung-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Chung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology; D013624:Taiwan; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology