2008 Volume 41 Issue 8 Pages 489-495
Advances in medical treatment and hemodialysis (HD) therapy have increased the life expectancy of patients with chronic renal failure on HD, and now, improvements in the motor functions and quality of life (QOL) of these patients are being sought, to allow these patients to lead more fulfilling social lives. We sought to confirm the safety and effectiveness, especially for elderly patients, of exercise training during HD sessions as one of the methods of improving motor functions and QOL for patients on maintenance HD. A 3-month exercise training program was undertaken during the HD sessions in a 75-year-old male patient (Case1) and 65-year-old male patient (Case2) with chronic renal failure on maintenance HD. The patients exercised in their beds using a stationary cycle ergometer three times a week, during their routine HD sessions. There were no exercise-induced adverse events in any patient throughout the 3-month exercise training period. Laboratory and echocardiographic examination did not demonstrate significant changes in any patient after the exercise training period. On the other hand, significant improvements were observed in the motor functions, as assessed by the peak oxygen consumption, leg strength and sit-to-stand test time, and also on certain subscales of health-related QOL, after the exercise training period. In conclusion, exercise training during HD sessions appears to be a safe and effective intervention for improving motor functions and QOL in elderly HD patients.
