Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study

Tjaša Filipčič, Špela Bogataj, Jernej Pajek and Maja Pajek
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Tjaša Filipčič: Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, Krdeljeva ploščad 16, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Špela Bogataj: Department of Nephrology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jernej Pajek: Department of Nephrology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Maja Pajek: Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Gortanova ulica 22, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Hemodialysis (HD) patients have lower functional abilities compared to healthy people, and this is associated with lower physical activity in everyday life. This may affect their quality of life, but research on this topic is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between habitual physical activity and quality of life in HD patients and healthy controls. Ninety-three HD patients and 140 controls participated in the study. Quality of life was assessed using a 36-item medical outcomes study short-form health survey (SF-36). Human Activity Profile (HAP) was used to assess habitual physical activity. The adjusted activity score (AAS) from HAP, age, gender, fat tissue index (FTI), lean tissue index (LTI), and Davies comorbidity score were analyzed as possible predictors of the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-36. Three sequential linear models were used to model PCS. In Model 1, PCS was regressed by gender and age; in Model 2 the LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity scores were added. Model 3 also included AAS. After controlling for age and gender (Model HD 1: p = 0.056), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score effects (Model HD 2: p = 0.181), the AAS accounted for 32% of the variation in PCS of HD patients (Model HD 3: p < 0.001). Consequently, the PCS of HD patients would increase by 0.431 points if the AAS increased by one point. However, in healthy controls, AAS had a lower impact than in the HD sample (B = 0.359 vs. 0.431), while the corresponding effects of age and gender (Model H 1: p < 0.001), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score (Model H 2: p < 0.001) were adjusted for. The proportion of variation in PCS attributed to AAS was 14.9% (Model H 3: p < 0.001). The current study results showed that physical activity in everyday life as measured by the HAP questionnaire is associated to a higher degree with the quality of life of HD patients than in healthy subjects. Routine physical activity programs are therefore highly justified, and the nephrology community should play a leading role in this effort.

Keywords: quality of life; hemodialysis patients; physical functioning; impact; human activity profile (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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