ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of 24-week intradialytic progressive resistance exercise on hemoglobin and iron metabolism in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.MethodsFrom April to May 2019, 62 MHD patients were enrolled and randomly assigned into exercise group (n=31) and control group (n=31). Both groups of patients received regular routine hemodialysis, on that basis, patients in the exercise group completed intradialytic resistance exercise three times per week for 24 weeks. Each exercise included 8-10 muscle groups (grasping the grip ring with both hands, flexion and extension of the elbows and shoulders on the non-vascular side and lower limbs with sandbag), 3 sets of 15 repetitions with a rest of 1-2 min between 2 sets. Exercise began with a low load, the sandbag weight was gradually increased, and the Borg score was aimed to be 11-13 points after exercise. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum creatinine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, urea clearance index, recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) dosage at baseline and after 24 weeks, as well as the cumulative iron supplement dose and hemoglobin variation of the two groups during the study period were evaluated.ResultsThere were 20 patients in the exercise group and 30 ones in the control group who completed the study. After 24 weeks of progressive resistance exercise, the medium (lower quartile, upper quartile) of the amount of rHuEPO in the exercise group decreased from 6 000 (6 000, 9 000) U/week to 6 000 (4 500, 7 125) U/week (Z=−2.599, P=0.009), while that in the control group had no statistically significant difference (Z=−1.340, P=0.180); there was no statistically difference in hemoglobin, hemoglobin coefficient of variation, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, or 24-week cumulative iron supplementation between the two groups.ConclusionIntradialytic progressive resistance exercise can reduce the amount of rHuEPO in MHD patients, which is benefitial to optimizing the management of hemoglobin.
Objective To investigate the awareness and clinical needs of wearable artificial kidney among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, and to analyze the related influencing factors. Methods MHD patients were recruited from 2 tertiary hospitals in Sichuan province between April and June 2021. The convenient sampling method was used to select patients. The factors influencing the awareness and demand of MHD patients for wearable artificial kidney were analyzed. Results A total of 119 MHD patients were included. The awareness of wearable artificial kidney among the patients was mainly “never heard” (61 cases) and “heard” (58 cases). Most MHD patients (60 cases) were willing to use and participate in clinical trials in the future. The results of logistic regression indicated that the cost on household economy and treatment effect on life quality were the influencing factors for MHD patients’ awareness of wearable artificial kidney (P＜0.05). The average duration of single dialysis and the impact of treatment on working or studying were the influencing factors for MHD patients’ needs of wearable artificial kidney (P＜0.05). Conclusions The awareness of wearable artificial kidney is low among MHD patients. However, most MHD patients showed great interest in the wearable artificial kidney after preliminary understanding, suggesting that the future clinical application of wearable artificial kidney has great demand.
Along with the illness progresses of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, their functional limitations such as decreased cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle loss, dysfunction of arteriovenous fistula, fatigue, and sleep disorders are increasingly prominent and urgently need to be resolved. Modern physiotherapy as a non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapy which can reduce the functional limitations of MHD patients, improves the patients’ exercise capacity and quality of life. Physical therapy techniques suitable for MHD patients include active and passive exercise therapy such as aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, breathing training, and muscle stretching, as well as physical agents therapy such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation, infrared, and low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field. Choosing appropriate physical agents and exercise prescription can reduce the treatment risk and improve the efficacy.
Objective To explore the potential categories and influencing factors of chronic comorbidity treatment burden in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods Convenience sampling method was used to select MHD patients between April and May 2023 at Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital and Jiangdu People’s Hospital as the research subjects. The general information questionnaire, Chronic Disease Comorbidity Treatment Burden Scale, and Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Disease Patients were used for the questionnaire survey. The latent class analysis was used to explore the classification of chronic comorbidity treatment burden in MHD patients, and the multi-class logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of comorbidity treatment burden. Results A total of 450 survey questionnaires were distributed, and 406 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective response rate of 90.22%. According to the latent class analysis results, the comorbidity treatment burden of MHD patients was divided into three potential categories. Among them, there were 26 cases in the low-burden group, 194 cases in the medium-burden group, and 186 cases in the high-burden group. The results of the ordered multi-class logistic regression analysis showed that patient age, educational level, dialysis age, number of comorbidities, and level of economic support were potential factors affecting the comorbidity treatment burden in MHD patients (P<0.05). Conclusions The comorbidity treatment burden of MHD patients can be divided into three potential categories. The age, educational level, dialysis age, number of comorbidities, and level of economic support of patients are potential factors affecting the comorbidity treatment burden in MHD patients.
Objective To understand the incidence of frailty in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, and to explore the correlation and influencing factors of frailty in MHD patients, so as to provide some basis for the intervention of frailty in MHD patients. Methods Patients who underwent MHD in the Department of Nephrology of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January to March 2021 were selected. Frail scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used for evaluation, and the influencing factors of frail in patients with MHD and its correlation with frail were analyzed. Results A total of 141 patients with MHD were included, including 57 cases without frailty (40.43%), 71 cases in early frailty (50.35%), and 13 cases in frailty (9.22%). 54 cases (38.30%) had very good sleep quality, 56 cases (39.72%) had good sleep quality, 24 cases (17.02%) had average sleep quality, and 7 cases (4.96%) had very poor sleep quality. The frailty of MHD patients was positively correlated with age (rs=0.265, P=0.002), PSQI (rs=0.235, P=0.005) and magnesium (rs=0.280, P=0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the influencing factors of MHD patients’ frailty were gender [odds ratio (OR) =4.321, 95%confidence interval (CI) (1.525, 12.243), P=0.006], PSQI [OR=1.110, 95%CI (1.009, 1.222), P=0.032], magnesium [OR=122.072, 95%CI (4.752, 3 135.528), P=0.004], hypertension [OR=0.112, 95%CI (0.023, 0.545), P=0.007] and other diseases [OR=0.102, 95%CI (0.019, 0.552), P=0.008]. Conclusions The incidence of frailty in MHD patients is high. Gender, PSQI, magnesium, hypertension and other diseases are the influencing factors of frailty in MHD patients, and there is a correlation between frailty and sleep. It is suggested that renal medical staff should pay more attention to the assessment of MHD frailty and sleep, and carry out multi-disciplinary personalized intervention to improve the quality of life of MHD patients.
ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of blood pressure variability (BPV) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with and without diabetes mellitus and the effects of BPV on cardiac function based on the research of clinical data. MethodsOne hundred MHD patients treated in the Hemodialysis Center of the People’s Hospital of Taixing City between January 2013 and January 2015 were recruited and divided into diabetes group (n=46) and non-diabetes group (n=54). Interdialytic and intradialytic BPV and cardiac function were monitored and compared between the two groups. Standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used for the evaluation of BPV. ResultsTriacylglycerol, cholesterol and plasma albumin were significantly different between the diabetes group and non-diabetes group (P<0.05), while hemoglobin, serum calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). Forty-two patients in the diabetes group and 53 in the non-diabetes group took antihypertensive drugs. The varieties of antihypertensive drugs and the proportion of patients who used antihypertensive drugs were not significantly different between the two groups. The ambulatory blood pressure monitoring displayed 40 patients (86.9%) with reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure in the diabetes group and 35 (64.8%) in the non-diabetes group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The interdialytic mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), SBP-SD and SBP-CV in the diabetes group were all significantly higher than those in the non-diabetes group (P<0.05), and the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP), DBP-SD and DBP-CV were also significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). The intradialytic mean SBP, SBP-SD and SBP-CV in the diabetes group were significantly higher than those in the non-diabetes group (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in intradialytic mean DBP, DBP-SD and DBP-CV between the two groups. In patients with reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure, the interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and ejection fraction were significantly different between the diabetes group and the non-diabetes group. However, in patients with dipper blood pressure, the cardiac function parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion MHD patients with diabetes have higher ratio of reverse dipper or non-dipper blood pressure, more significant blood pressure variability and more severe cardiac function damage.
ObjectiveTo observe the effects of levocarnitine by intravenous injection on nutritional and microinflammatory state in maintenance hemodialysis patients. MethodsBetween October 2010 and October 2011, 62 maintenance hemodialysis (>6 months) patients in our dialysis center were enrolled in this study, and were randomly divided into treatment group (n=32) and control group (n=30). Patients in the treatment group were injected with levocarnitine (1.0 g once) after every dialysis for 3 months, while patients in the control group only accepted routine hemodialysis therapy. Blood biochemical indicators, serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured and compared at the experiment onset and 3 months later. ResultsAfter treatment with levocarnitine for three months, the average serum levels of albumin (Alb), hemoglobin (Hb), triacylglycerol (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and hs-CRP, and the conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm, lacking in strength, and anorexia were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) between the two groups (P>0.05). For the control group, after treatment, Alb, Hb and condition of anorexia changed significantly (P<0.05), while TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, hs-CRP, conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm and lacking of strength did not change (P>0.05); for the treatment group, after treatment, all Alb, Hb, TG, HDL-C, hs-CRP, conditions of dialysis hypotension, muscular spasm, lacking of strength and anorexia changed significantly (P<0.05), while TC and LDL-C did not change obviously (P>0.05). ConclusionLevocarnitine can significantly improve the nutritional and microinflammatory state and better the quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients.
Objective To explore the current situation and influencing factors of self-regulatory fatigue in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, so as to provide good dialysis treatment for MHD patients, reduce their level of self-regulated fatigue and improve their quality of life. Methods The convenient sampling method was used to select the MHD patients in the Wenjiang Hemodialysis Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University between April 12 and April 30, 2022. The patients were investigated by self-made basic information scale and self-regulatory fatigue scale. Results A total of 131 patients were included. The average score of self-regulatory fatigue was 53.47±6.45, cognitive dimension was 20.21±2.39, emotional dimension was 20.85±2.85, behavioral dimension was 12.40±3.63. The results of multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that age, duration of dialysis and educational background could inversely predict the score of self-regulatory fatigue (P<0.05). Conclusions MHD patients have a high level of self-regulatory fatigue. Clinical nurses can make individual dialysis programs according to the actual situation of MHD patients, improve their self-regulated level and physical and mental health, and improve the quality of life of MHD patients.
Objective To study the influence of calcium acetate tablets combined with compound alpha-keto acid on calcium and phosphorus metabolism in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods A total of 112 MHD patients with hyperphosphatemia treated between May 2014 and May 2015 were included in this study. Based on random number table method, they were divided into calcium acetate group (n=37), compound alpha-keto acid group (n=36) and combined drug use group (n=39). All the patients were given a low protein diet. Twelve weeks after treatment, we compared the calcium and phosphorus metabolic indexes, nutrition indicator levels and adverse reactions within and across the three groups. Results Before treatment, there was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of serum calcium, phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus product, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) level (P>0.05). After treatment, the combined drug use group had significantly lower levels of serum phosphorus, calcium-phosphorus product and PTH than the other two groups (P<0.05). Before treatment, the levels of creatinine, serum total protein and albumin were not significantly different among the three groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the serum total protein and albumin level in the combined drug use group were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P<0.01). Three was no significant difference among the three groups in terms of adverse reactions (P>0.05). Conclusions For MHD patients with hyperphosphatemia, the combined use of calcium acetate tablets and compound alpha-keto acid is better than the use of single drugs, which can effectively improve patients’ symptoms and reduce the level of serum phosphorus with high security. It is worthy of clinical recommendation.
Objective To investigate the mediating effect of phase angle between muscle strength and muscle function in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, aiming to provide a reference basis for clinical improvement of muscle strength and muscle function in MHD patients. Methods Random sampling was used to collect patients undergoing outpatient MHD in the Wenjiang Hemodialysis Room of the Department of Nephrology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University between September and December 2023 as the subjects of this study. Muscle strength was assessed by handgrip strength, muscle function was assessed by Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and phase angle was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The mediating effect of phase angle between muscle strength and muscle function was analyzed. Results A total of 239 MHD patients were included, including 125 males (52.3%) and 114 females (47.7%). The mean phase angle of MHD patients was (5.77±1.17)°, 89 patients (37.2%) showed decreased muscle strength, and 109 patients (45.6%) showed muscle hypoplasia. Spearman’s correlation analyses showed that phase angle was significantly and positively correlated with both handgrip strength and SPPB in MHD patients (P<0.001). The results of mediation effect analysis showed that handgrip strength was able to positively predict phase angle (β=0.535, P<0.001); handgrip strength was able to positively predict SPPB (β=0.481, P<0.001); phase angle was able to positively predict SPPB (β=0.296, P<0.001); and when both handgrip strength and phase angle entered in the regression equation, both handgrip strength (β=0.392, P<0.001) and phase angle (β=0.165, P<0.05) could positively predict SPPB. Phase angle in MHD patients partially mediated the association between muscle strength and muscle function, with the mediating effect accounting for 32.5% of the total effect. Conclusions There is a close relationship between phase angle, muscle strength and muscle function in MHD patients, and muscle strength can affect muscle function directly or indirectly through phase angle. Medical professionals should pay attention to the muscle function of MHD patients and further improve their muscle function by improving their phase angle and muscle strength.