Effectiveness of a resistance exercise program for lower limbs in chronic renal patients on hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Physical inactivity in hemodialysis patients is associated with increased mortality. The objective of this study was evaluated the effect of an intradialytic resistance exercise program on chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on hemodialysis.

Methods: One hundred seven patients were included in the study. They were aged 18-60 years, of both sexes, had undergone hemodialysis treatment for at least 1 year, sedentary. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: stretching (STG) and resistance exercise (REG). Intervention programs were performed for 8 weeks, three times a week. The evaluations were performed before and after the training programs. The primary outcome was functional capacity using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Secondary outcomes were peripheral muscle strength, respiratory muscle strength, spirometric respiratory function, and laboratory data.

Findings: Comparisons between groups revealed the following clinically relevant results in favor of REG: lower limb muscle strength (mean difference [MD] = -1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -2.77 to -1.21; d = -0.53), distance walked in the 6MWT (MD = -26.27, 95% CI = -45.40 to -7.14; d = -0.46), creatinine (MD = -1.52, 95% CI = -2.49 to -0.54; d = -0.66), and calcium (MD = -0.44, 95% CI = -0.78 to -0.10; d = -0.49).

Discussion: CKD patients on hemodialysis have reduced functional capacity compared to healthy sedentary individuals. In turn, this reduction appears to be associated with a lower survival rate and affects the performance of their daily living activities. Thus, resistance exercise performed in the intradialytic phase is an effective therapeutic strategy for CKD patients, mainly because it increases functional capacity and lower limb muscle strength.