Effects of Intradialytic Exercise on Functional Capacity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients

Patients with chronic kidney failure often experience reduced physical function due to inactivity and arteriovenous fistula-related complications, negatively affecting quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effect of intradialytic exercise on functional capacity, quality of life, fatigue, and depression in hemodialysis patients.

This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial including 72 hemodialysis patients (aged 18-80 years) undergoing treatment three times per week for at least 1 year. Participants were randomly assigned to an exercise group (mean age: 55.7 ± 12.0 years) or a control group (mean age: 54.6 ± 14.2 years). The exercise group performed supervised combined aerobic and resistance exercises during dialysis sessions, three times weekly for 8 weeks, while the control group received routine hemodialysis care. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 8 weeks using the Six-Minute Walk Test, Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test, Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 questionnaire, Visual Analog Scale for fatigue, Beck Depression Inventory.

Fifty-nine patients completed the study (exercise group: n = 30; control group: n = 29). Both groups were similar at baseline. Post-intervention, the exercise group demonstrated significant improvements in physical performance (p = 0.046), quality of life subdomains (p < 0.05), and depression (p < 0.001), whereas no significant change was observed in functional capacity (p = 0.627) or fatigue (p = 0.537). In contrast, the control group demonstrated declines in several quality of life subdomains (p < 0.05), with significant worsening in fatigue (p = 0.011) and depression (p = 0.011).

Intradialytic exercise is an effective intervention to improve physical and psychological outcomes in hemodialysis patients, suggesting its integration into routine dialysis care may help mitigate progressive functional decline.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05246956.