Abstract
Background: Chronic kidney disease is often accompanied by disturbances in the levels of serum electrolytes. Because of electrolyte imbalance and other factors, the patients experience some of the systemic symptoms and physical and mental dysfunction. We aimed determine the impact of exercise during hemodialysis on serum levels of Albumin, calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone.
Methods: In a randomized controlled trial in hemodialysis units of Iran’s two hospital, 60 patients undergoing hemodialysis having required criteria were included and assigned into the exercise group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). An exercise program using stationary bicycles were done in the intervention group, 60 minutes/ every session, three times a week, for 8 weeks. The main outcome measures were the serum levels of Albumin, Calcium, Phosphate, and Parathyroid hormone.
Results: The independent t-test results showed no significant difference between the mean serum levels of Albumin, Calcium, Phosphorus and Parathyroid hormone before the intervention (P > 0.05). However, after an eight-week intervention, significant improvements were seen in serum phosphate levels and Parathyroid hormone (P=0.04), while the serum levels of Albumin (P=0.3) and calcium (P = 0. 5) did not change significantly in the intervention group.
Conclusions: An exercise program by stationary bicycles is a safe, effective and complementary clinical intervention in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis.