Association between Physical Frailty and Sleep Disturbances among Patients on Hemodialysis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Among patients on hemodialysis (HD), physical frailty and sleep disturbances are not only common but also associated with adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between physical frailty and sleep disturbances in patients on HD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2017 to March 2021, with outpatients receiving HD 3 times a week at two dialysis facilities in Japan. Sleep disturbances were identified with the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Physical frailty was defined using the Fried Frailty Phenotype. Patients were classified as "non-frailty (number of frailty components: 0-2)" or "frailty (3-5)." We examined the association of sleep disturbances with physical frailty and its components by performing a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We analyzed 360 patients (mean age 65.6 years; 62% men). Eighty-one patients (23%) were classified into the group with frailty, and the mean AIS score was 5.2 ± 4.2 points. After adjusting for clinical characteristics, increasing the AIS score per 1 point was associated with higher odds of physical frailty (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.20; p < 0.01). As for the frailty components, exhaustion, low physical activity, and weak grip strength showed an association with sleep disturbances (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances were independently associated with physical frailty in patients on HD. Future studies are warranted to investigate the causality between physical frailty and sleep disturbances in this population.

Feasibility of long-term intradialytic exercise for older patients receiving hemodialysis: a retrospective single-center study.

PURPOSE: Decreased physical function and physical activity are associated with adverse outcomes among patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Although intradialytic exercise (IDEx) can help improve physical function, few studies have evaluated whether long-term IDEx could improve physical function or physical activity in older HD patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of intradialytic exercise (IDEx) on physical function and physical activity in older HD patients over a 24-month period. METHODS: This retrospective study included clinically stable Japanese HD patients (aged ≥ 60 years) who visited our outpatient clinic. The patients were categorized into the IDEx (underwent IDEx) and non-IDEx (did not undergo IDEx) groups. The IDEx group underwent a 30-40 min low-intensity resistance training for three times/week during the HD period. Baseline, 12-month, and 24-month follow-up assessments were conducted to assess patient characteristics, physical function, and physical activity. Results were compared using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: The study included 57 patients with complete follow-up data. Baseline, 12-month, and 24-month follow-up assessments revealed no significant inter-group differences concerning physical function, physical activity, and other measurements. CONCLUSION: IDEx was shown to have limited effect on physical function and physical activity among older HD patients in a clinical setting. Future studies are needed to re-evaluate IDEx programs in HD patients by incorporating exercises performed before and after the HD session.

The effects of amino acid/protein supplementation in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We evaluated the efficacy of the intervention consisting of amino acid/protein supplementation on muscle mass, muscle strength and physical function in patients on hemodialysis. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis identified potential studies through a systematic search of 4 electronic databases and references from eligible studies from database inception to August 2020. We included only randomized controlled trials reporting the efficacy of amino acid/protein supplementation on muscle mass, muscle strength and physical function in patients on hemodialysis. RESULTS: Of 6529 unique citation records, 4 studies including 243 participants were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Although there were no significant differences in muscle mass and muscle strength between the intervention and control groups, amino acid/protein supplementation was shown to significantly improve physical function (shuttle walk, MD 32.7, 95% CI 21.7 to 43.7, P < 0.001; gait speed, MD 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.13, P = 0.02; timed up and go, MD -0.42, 95% CI -0.68 to -0.15, P = 0.002) in patients on hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the positive effect of amino acid/protein supplementation on physical function in people undergoing hemodialysis. However, there is still insufficient evidence, and more rigorously designed randomized controlled trials with high quality are needed.