Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients have lower cognitive functioning and reduced physical fitness than age-matched healthy individuals. Clinicians typically do not recognize the declining cognitive performance in these patients; therefore, cognitive impairment is greatly underestimated and not appropriately treated. This study aimed to evaluate the impact on cognitive function of combining cognitive training with physical exercise and physical performance in HD patients.
Methods: Using a randomized, single-blinded control design, forty-four HD patients were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intradialytic physical exercise and cognitive training program (EXP group; n = 22; 54% male; 65.7 ± 9.7 years; 77.1 ± 21.9 kg; body mass index 26.8 ± 6.0) or a standard care control group (CON group; n = 21; 77% male; 67.2 ± 12.5 years; 74.2 ± 14.3 kg; body mass index 25.9 ± 3.8). The EXP group performed intradialytic cycling and cognitive training three days per week for 12 weeks. Study outcomes were assessed by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), 10-repetition sit-to-stand test (10-STS), handgrip strength test (HGS), and stork balance test.
Results: The results showed a significant time*group interaction effect for SDMT (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.267) and MoCA (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.266). Moreover, no significant interaction was observed for 10-STS, HGS, and stork balance test (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that incorporating intradialytic cognitive and physical exercise training could help to improve the functional status of HD patients. The innovative, nonpharmacological, bimodal intervention is cost-effective, safe, and easy to implement during the intradialytic period and offers a potential impact on patients' quality of life and well-being.
Keywords: cognitive function; cognitive training; end-stage kidney disease; hemodialysis patients; physical exercise.