Aerobic exercise improves physical capacity in patients under chronic hemodialysis

BACKGROUND: In the general population, regular practice of physical exercises is associated with improved physical capacity and reduction of cardiovascular events. Concerning patients with chronic kidney disease, a population with significant impairment of physical capacity and high rates of cardiovascular mortality, few studies have evaluated the effects of physical activity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise during hemodialysis on the physical capacity and blood pressure of patients with chronic renal failure. METHODS: We evaluated 14 patients with chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis, before and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise performed during hemodialysis sessions. Patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for 24 hours, 6-minute walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise test before and after the exercise period. RESULTS: After the exercise, there was a significant increase in the distance walked during the 6-minute walk test from 509 ± 91.9 m to 555 ± 105.8 m, and a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure of 151 ± 18.4 mmHg to 143 ± 14.7 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure of 94 ± 10.5 mmHg to 91 ± 9.6 mmHg and average arterial pressure from 114 ± 13.0 mmHg to 109 ± 11.4 mmHg. CONCLUSION: Aerobic exercise conducted during hemodialysis sessions contributed to the improvement of physical capacity and control of hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease.