[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.