title: Feasibility of higher intensity exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Higher intensity exercise is a more effective way of evoking improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness in many chronic disease populations compared to moderate intensity continuous training. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of participation in higher intensity exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is an observational sub-study of the intervention arm of a randomized control trial. Forty-four participants with stage 3-4 CKD in the intervention arm were required to complete a predominantly home-based 12 month individualized exercise intervention. Physical activity levels, exercise capacity (METs) and blood biochemistry were measured at baseline and 12 months. The physical activity groups (higher intensity, moderate intensity and not meeting guidelines) were determined from the six months activity prior to the 12 month testing visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 months, the number of patients who reported performing weekly higher intensity exercise in the previous six months of the intervention increased by 23%. Participants completing higher intensity exercise had a significantly greater exercise capacity at 12 months (11.9±3.7 METs) than participants reporting moderate intensity exercise and those not meeting guidelines (9.2±1.7, 7.6±3.2 METs). Hemoglobin levels and exercise capacity were significantly higher at baseline in patients who reported exercising at higher intensities (142.9±16.1 g/L and 9.8±4.2 METs) compared to those reporting moderate intensity exercise (129.8±12.9 g/L and 8±3.1 METs) and not meeting guidelines (127.3±12.5 g/L and 6±2 METs).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study was successful in increasing higher intensity physical activity in a large proportion of patients with CKD.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Kassia S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Beetham
authors.affiliation: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Erin J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Howden
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.|Department of Nephrology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Rathika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnasamy
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.|Department of Nephrology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Isbel
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia - jcoombes@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jeff S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Coombes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins