Impact of Physical Activity on Quality of Life for Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Chronic end-stage renal disease has a significant impact on patients' quality of life. In 2005, a study evaluating the quality of life of patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease using the SF-36 and KDQoL questionnaires showed that the proportion of patients with an altered quality of life varied from 20% to 50% in the physical component dimensions and from 12% to 47% in the mental component dimensions. More than 75% of dialysis patients had at least one of the 8 scores below the threshold that defines impaired quality of life. In 2011, the Quavi-REIN study involved 1251 dialysis patients showed a significant reduction of quality of life assessed using the generic SF36 questionnaire compared with the general population, in the physical and mental dimensions.

Moreover, in France, more than one senior citizens aged between 55 and 74 in three does not comply with the World Health Organisation's recommendations on the minimum level of physical activity required per day. A sedentary lifestyle is a major public health problem. It is the 4thrisk factor for mortality after hypertension, smoking and diabetes. This inactivity increases mortality and morbidity rates in humans, and consequently the risk of diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Physical activity is recommended for patients with chronic kidney disease. In a survey of 505 nephrologists, 97% thought that physical activity is beneficial for dialysis patients, given that a sedentary lifestyle increases the death rate among dialysis patients. Data from the international DOPPS registry, involving 20,920 patients, showed that patients who engage in physical activity have a better quality of life (physical, psychological and sleep quality components), as assessed by the KDQoL-SF questionnaire.