Is There a Need for a Weight Management Control Program in Hemodialysis Patients? The Implication of Exercise Programs

Background In hemodialysis (HD) patients, age-related muscle loss and body composition changes are more intense than in those with normal renal function. This study aimed to determine the effects of functional training in addition to intradialytic cycling exercise, compared to intradialytic cycling alone on body composition in HD patients. Material and methods Patients were randomized to an experimental group (n=20; functional training and intradialytic cycling) or control group (n=20; intradialytic cycling) over 16 weeks. In the first 8 weeks, the experimental group attended guided functional training before dialysis, and afterward performed functional training at home. Results After 16 weeks, a significant intergroup difference was found only in total body water only (p=0.037) in favor of the experimental group. Significant intragroup changes were found for weight (after 8 weeks: p=0.009; after 16 weeks: p=0.012), waist circumference (after 8 weeks: p=0.026; after 16 weeks: p=0.044), and BMI (after 16 weeks: p=0.046) in the experimental group and for fat tissue index (after 16 weeks: p=0.038) in the control group. Overall exercise compliance was high, reaching more than two-thirds of prescribed exercise volumes. Conclusions Our results showed increased weight and BMI following functional training in HD patients. This increase was not a result of an increase in body fat, which was illustrated by unchanged results in fat tissue index.