Lower C-reactive protein and better hemodialysis survival are associated with regular exercise activity: Longitudinal outcomes from the ACTIVE-ADIPOSE special study

Frailty as a dynamic process in a diverse cohort of older persons with dialysis-dependent CKD

This study examines frailty status evolution observed in a two-year follow-up of a cohort of older persons (age ≥65) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Frailty, a geriatric syndrome that connotes a state of low physiologic reserve and vulnerability to stressors, is associated with increased risk for multiple adverse health outcomes in studies of persons with CKD as well as older persons in the general population. The Fried frailty index defines frailty as the presence of 3 or more of 5 indicators-recent unintentional weight loss, slowed gait speed, decreased muscle strength, self-reported exhaustion, and low physical activity. In the seminal work by Fried and colleagues, persons who were characterized by 1-2 of the Fried index criteria were termed "pre-frail" and considered at risk for subsequently becoming frail, potentially providing insight regarding intervention targets that might slow or prevent individuals' transition from pre-frail to frail status. Other less frequently studied types of transitions may also be informative, including "recovery or reversion" (improvement) by people whose longitudinal assessments indicate movement from frailty to prefrailty or robust, or from prefrailty to robust. These status changes are also a potential source of insights relevant for prevention or remediation of frailty, but research focusing on the various ways that individuals may transition between frailty states over time remains limited, and no previous research has examined varying patterns of frailty status evolution in an older cohort of persons with dialysis-dependent CKD. In a study cohort of dialysis-dependent older persons, we characterized patterns of frailty status evolution by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and treatment vintage; by longitudinal profiles of non-sedentary behavior; and by self-report indicators relevant for dimensions emphasized in the Age-Friendly 4Ms Health System (What Matters, Mobility, Mentation). Our study suggests that strategies to promote resiliency among older persons with dialysis-dependent CKD can be informed not only by frailty status transition that indicates improvement over time but also by older adults' maintenance of (stable) robust status over time, and we concur that inclusion of both frailty and resilience measures is needed in future longitudinal studies and clinical trials.

Association between physical activity and mortality in end-stage kidney disease: a systematic review of observational studies

BACKGROUND

End-stage Kidney Disease patients have a high mortality and hospitalization risk. The association of these outcomes with physical activity is described in the general population and in other chronic diseases. However, few studies examining this association have been completed in end-stage Kidney Disease patients, raising the need to systematically review the evidence on the association of physical activity with mortality and hospitalization in this population.

METHODS

Electronic databases (EBSCO, Scopus and Web of Science) and hand search were performed until March 2020 for observational studies reporting the association of physical activity with mortality or hospitalization in adult end-stage Kidney Disease patients on renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplant). Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020155591).

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included: six in hemodialysis, three in kidney transplant, and two in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. Physical activity was self-reported, except in one study that used accelerometers. All-cause mortality was addressed in all studies and cardiovascular mortality in three studies. Nine studies reported a significant reduction in all-cause mortality with increased levels of physical activity. Evidence of a dose-response relationship was found. For cardiovascular mortality, a significant reduction was observed in two of the three studies. Only one study investigated the association of physical activity with hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher physical activity was associated with reduced mortality in end-stage Kidney Disease patients. Future studies using objective physical activity measures could strengthen these findings. The association of physical activity with hospitalization should be explored in future investigations.