A systematic review of trials investigating the efficacy of exercise training for functional capacity and quality of life in chronic kidney disease patients

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of exercise training on functional capacity and quality of life in chronic kidney disease. Data sources: SCOPUS, CINAHL, Science Direct, Web of Science, MEDLINE, ProQuest, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDRO), and Google Scholar databases were searched between 2010 and December 2020. Methods: Randomized controlled trials were included if they involved any types of exercise training (aerobic, resisted and respiratory ex.) conducted with chronic kidney disease patients. Three authors independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality using PEDro scale, and two authors released any confliction. Modified Sackett Scale was used to determine the level of evidence for each outcome. Results: Out of 130 papers screened, 13 studies with 619 participants met the inclusion criteria. The frequency of the treatment ranged from three to four sessions per week for a period ranging from 8 to 24 weeks. According to the Pedro scale, the quality of studies ranged from good (three studies) to fair (ten studies). All included studies showed positive effects on the measured outcomes (functional capacity and quality of life in chronic kidney disease). Conclusion: Exercise programs for chronic kidney disease patients provide beneficial clinical outcomes and optimize functional capacity and quality of life in those patients. Future studies still need to focus on high-quality evidence and studies evaluating the adverse effects of exercise.