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Exercise capacity and physical fitness in pediatric dialysis and kidney transplant patients

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Abstract

Studies of exercise capacity in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are limited. We tested 25 pediatric kidney transplant (TX) recipients and 15 pediatric dialysis (DX) patients. Nine children in the DX group received kidney transplants and were retested 3 months following surgery (pre/post). Testing involved treadmill testing with measurement of peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), muscle strength, body composition (percent fat), and “field” tests of physical fitness using the FITNESSGRAM, which included the PACER test. Values obtained were compared with gender- and age-based criterion-referenced standards [healthy fitness zone (HFZ)]. The previous day physical activity recall (PDPAR) was used to assess physical activity participation. There were no differences between TX and DX subjects for VO2peak and muscle strength measurements, and all values were below the normative values. The TX group achieved significantly higher PACER scores, but only one TX and no DX subjects achieved the HFZ for the PACER test. No improvement in any measures were observed from pre- to post-TX in the nine subjects tested, except for a significant increase in percent fat, which negatively affected the change in muscle strength and VO2peak. All subjects were physically inactive, with less than 10% of nonschool time being physical activity participation. Pediatric patients with CKD had low exercise capacity, were physically inactive, and gained significant fat weight following TX. Counseling and encouragement for more physical activity is warranted as a part of routine medical care in these children.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases, University of Minnesota, MMC 736 Room 14-136 PWB, 516 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Patricia Painter

  2. Department of Physiological Nursing, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Joanne Krasnoff

  3. Division of Nephrology, Nemours Children’s Clinic, Orlando, FL, USA

    Robert Mathias

Authors
  1. Patricia Painter
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  2. Joanne Krasnoff
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  3. Robert Mathias
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Correspondence to Patricia Painter.

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Funding source

This study was supported by Satellite HealthCare Research Grants Program. This study was carried out in part in the General Clinical Research Center, Moffitt Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, with funds provided by the National Center for Research Resources, MO1 RR-0079, US Public Health Service.

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Painter, P., Krasnoff, J. & Mathias, R. Exercise capacity and physical fitness in pediatric dialysis and kidney transplant patients. Pediatr Nephrol 22, 1030–1039 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-007-0458-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-007-0458-6

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