Background: In the general population, regular practice of physical exercises is associated with improved physical capacity and reduction of cardiovascular events. Concerning patients with chronic kidney disease, a population with significant impairment of physical capacity and high rates of cardiovascular mortality, few studies have evaluated the effects of physical activity.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise during hemodialysis on the physical capacity and blood pressure of patients with chronic renal failure.
Methods: We evaluated 14 patients with chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis, before and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise performed during hemodialysis sessions. Patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for 24 hours, 6-minute walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise test before and after the exercise period.
Results: After the exercise, there was a significant increase in the distance walked during the 6-minute walk test from 509 +/- 91.9 m to 555 +/- 105.8 m, and a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure of 151 +/- 18.4 mmHg to 143 +/- 14.7 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure of 94 +/- 10.5 mmHg to 91 +/- 9.6 mmHg and average arterial pressure from 114 +/- 13.0 mmHg to 109 +/- 11.4 mmHg.
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise conducted during hemodialysis sessions contributed to the improvement of physical capacity and control of hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease.