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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
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Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Videoconferencing for Physical Function Assessment in Patients with CKD
Jack H Markillie1, Sanya Tinaikar2, Sarah Cohen3
1College of Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States.
Kidney360
|July 16, 2026
Summary
Remote physical function tests using videoconferencing show promise for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. These assessments demonstrated good validity and usability, potentially overcoming barriers to routine care.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Geriatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is prevalent and linked to decreased physical function.
- Assessing physical function (handgrip strength, gait speed, Timed Up & Go) is crucial but underutilized in CKD care due to logistical barriers.
- Telemedicine, specifically videoconferencing, offers a potential solution for remote physical function assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the validity, reliability, and usability of videoconference-based physical function assessments in adults with CKD.
- To compare remote assessments with in-person evaluations in a controlled research setting.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, single-center study involving adults with CKD undergoing simultaneous in-person and videoconference physical function tests.
- Measures included handgrip strength, Timed Up & Go (TUG), and 4-meter usual gait speed.
- Evaluated criterion validity, reliability, and construct validity using statistical analyses and explored usability via the System Usability Scale and thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- Remote assessments showed excellent criterion validity and reliability for handgrip strength and TUG, and moderate for gait speed.
- Remote measures correlated well with self-reported physical function.
- Participants reported high usability of the remote testing, with minimal challenges.
Conclusions:
- Videoconference-based physical function assessments are valid, reliable, and usable in adults with CKD within a controlled setting.
- Further multicenter studies are necessary to validate these findings in diverse CKD populations and home environments, particularly for gait speed assessment.
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