Evaluation of the impact of an intradialytic exercise programme on sarcopaenia in very elderly haemodialysis patients

Sarcopaenia is a highly prevalent condition in persons on haemodialysis (HD). In stable very elderly (75-95 years old) persons on chronic HD, we prospectively studied the European Working Group on Sarcopaenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) steps stability over time in 37 controls and their response to a 12-week intradialytic lower limb exercise programme in 23 persons. Overall dropout was 15% and the main cause for dropout was death (8%). Thus 33 controls and 18 exercise participants were evaluated at 12 weeks. In controls, comorbidity, nutrition, dependency and frailty scales, anthropometric assessments, EWGSOP2 step values and the prevalence of suspected, confirmed and severe sarcopaenia as assessed by EWGSOP2 remained stable. In contrast, in persons who completed the exercise programme, a significant improvement in the five times sit-to-stand (STS-5) test was noted at the end of the 12-week exercise programme (19.2 +/- 4.9-15.9 +/- 5.9 seconds; P = .001), consistent with the lower limb nature of the exercise programme, that persisted 12 weeks after completion of the programme. Exercise also improved the Fried frailty scale (1.7 +/- 1.0-1.1 +/- 0.6; P = .004). In conclusion, EWGSOP2 steps remain stable in stable very elderly persons on HD and STS-5 is responsive to a short-term intradialytic lower limb exercise programme. These results may help define EWGSOP2-based primary endpoints in future large-scale clinical trials assessing exercise interventions.

Automated summary

The study found that sarcopaenia remains stable in stable very elderly persons on haemodialysis, while those who completed a lower limb exercise programme showed significant improvement in the five times sit-to-stand test and frailty scale. This suggests that short-term intradialytic exercise programmes can effectively improve physical function in this population.