Benefits of Physical Exercise in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Hemodialysis: A Mini Review

Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com malnutrition called protein energy wasting (PEW) [1]. PEW is characterized by abnormalities in skeletal muscle with a significant decrease in physical function and increased morbidity and mortality [2]. Among all the factors associated with mortality of hemodialysis patients, impaired physical function is a factor that can be easily and directly modified by exercise (Figure 1). Different studies have shown that physical exercise significantly improves muscle strength and physical function [3-6]. Physical function and functional limitations of hemodialysis patients can be measured by different tests such as six-minute-walk test, time-up-and-go test, gait-speed or sit-to-stand test [7]. With these tests it has been shown that for every 0.1 m/s decrease in gaitspeed, the risk of mortality increases by 26%, while a one-second increase in time-up-and-go test increases mortality by 8% [8]. Physical function and muscle strength do not necessarily depend on muscle mass; some studies have reported that the first one is a better predictor of mortality in patients with CKD [9,10].