Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection improves nutrition status in Japanese hemodialysis patients: a pilot study.

Plasma ghrelin level is influenced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status and the severity of gastric mucosal atrophy, and the ghrelin level is associated with nutrition status in hemodialysis patients. Here, we investigated the efficacy of H. pylori eradication therapy in improving nutrition status in relation to the ghrelin level in H. pylori-positive hemodialysis patients. Of H. pylori-positive patients receiving hemodialysis at 8 dialysis center, 21 patients underwent gastroduodenoscopy for evaluation of the severity of gastric atrophy, and nutrition markers and plasma ghrelin levels before and 1 year after H. pylori eradication therapy were evaluated. Serum cholinesterase level was significantly increased after H. pylori eradication compared with the level before eradication (303.2 ± 76.0 vs 287.3 ± 68.1 IU/L, p = 0.029). In particular, cholesterol (before, 196.6 ± 23.2 mg/dl; after, 206.1 ± 25.9 mg/dl, p = 0.042) and cholinesterase levels (before, 296.9 ± 70.8 IU/L; after, 316.4 ± 73.8 IU/L, p = 0.049) increased more strongly in patients with mild-moderate atrophy than those with severe atrophy, irrespective of improvement of plasma acyl-ghrelin and desacyl-ghrelin levels after eradication therapy. In conclusion, H. pylori eradication may improve nutrition status by increasing serum cholinesterase and cholesterol levels in hemodialysis patients, especially those with mild and moderate gastric mucosal atrophy.

Effect of intradialytic exercise on geriatric issues in older patients undergoing hemodialysis: a single-center non-randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of 1 year of intradialytic exercise on older hemodialysis patients with geriatric issues. METHODS: Forty-six patients aged ≥ 70 years were non-randomly assigned to two groups (exercise group: 27, control group: 19). Intradialytic exercise consisted of 30 min of aerobic exercise using a cycle ergometer, and resistance training comprising four exercises using an elastic tube three times per week for 1 year. Handgrip strength, leg extremity muscle strength, 10-m walk speed, short physical performance battery, serum albumin, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), geriatric depression scale, frailty, and mobility were each assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The control group exhibited a significant reduction in handgrip strength, 10-m walking speed, serum albumin, and GNRI after intervention compared to baseline (p < 0.05). Conversely, no significant reductions were observed in the exercise group. The ΔGNRI (effect size, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] - 5.21, - 0.1; p < 0.05) and Δserum albumin (effect size, 0.72; 95% CI - 0.31, - 0.02; p < 0.05) before and after the intervention declined significantly less in the exercise group than in the control group. Other between-group values were not significantly different. The number of frail patients and patients requiring walking assistance exhibited no significant intra-group or between-group differences before and after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Intradialytic exercise prevented the worsening of nutritional status and physical function in the exercise group compared to the control group. Exercise therapy during dialysis is an important aspect of patient care that helps prevent functional decline in older patients.

Effects of intradialytic exercise for advanced-age patients undergoing hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial.

Previous reports have shown the benefits of intradialytic exercise to patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, most of those studies assessed the effects of exercise in middle-aged patients and little is known about advanced-age patients undergoing hemodialysis. Therefore, the present randomized controlled trial was performed to determine the effectiveness of exercise therapy in advanced-age patients undergoing hemodialysis. This non-blinded, randomized controlled parallel trial enrolled a total of 101 patients who were randomly assigned to intradialytic exercise (n = 51) or usual care (n = 50) groups. The training program included both resistance and aerobic exercises and was performed three times per week for 6 months. The aerobic exercise intensity was adjusted to a target Borg score of 13 for 20 minutes. Four types of resistance exercises were performed using elastic tubing, with three sets of 10 exercises performed at moderate intensity (13/20 on the Borg scale). The usual care group received standard care. Lower extremity muscle strength, Short Physical Performance Battery score, and 10-m walking speed were the outcomes and were evaluated before the hemodialysis session and after 6 months of training. There were statistically significant improvements in Short Physical Performance Battery score (effect size, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.15‒1.95) in the exercise group relative to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in lower extremity muscle strength or in the 10-m walking speed between the two groups. These findings suggest that 6 months of intradialytic training could improve physical function in older patients undergoing hemodialysis.