Effect of Exercise on Vessel Diameter in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: As it is known, many negative situations occur in CKD patients on hemodialysis. One of these is the problems seen in the vascular access. The prevention and management of vascular access complications may benefit from exercise The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of exercise on the vessel diameter in HD patients.

Methods: Present study we were included 100 hemodialysis patients between the ages of 18-65.Participants were randomly divided into two groups: the exercise group and the control group. The exercise group performed moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on a stationary bicycle ergometer for 30 minutes during hemodialysis sessions, three days a week over 12 weeks. Additionally, the exercise group engaged in walking exercise for 30 minutes, three days a week outside of hemodialysis sessions, maintaining the heart rate between 50-60%. The exercise group also performed isolated exercises to expand wrist vessels, including wrist and elbow flexion, extension, and rotation, repeated 10 times, 2-3 days a week outside of hemodialysis sessions. And the vessel diameters of patients were measured by ultrasound at the beginning and after 12 weeks.

Inclusion criteria

• Being between 18-65 years of age
• Undergoing hemodialysis treatment for at least 6 months
• Using arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous graft, or permanent catheter as the vascular access type.
• Having no orthopedic, neurological, cardiac, or respiratory diseases that could hinder exercise
• Willingness to participate in exercise.

Exclusion criteria

• Access complications such as acute or chronic infections, inflammation, bleeding, aneurysms, stenosis, thrombosis, or any condition that hindered exercise,
• Acute or chronic cardiovascular complications such as cardiac arrhythmias, ischemia, heart failure.
• Hypertension, or hypotension that hindered exercise.
• Acute or chronic musculoskeletal injuries, pain, inflammation, or deformities that hindered exercise.
• Refusal to participate in exercise. were excluded from the study.