BREATHING-COORDINATED EXERCISE IMPROVES THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN HEMODIALYSIS-PATIENTS

Breathing-coordinated exercise is a traditional Chinese exercise. Thes e exercise maneuvers consist of slow diaphragmatic breathing, end-insp iratory pause, and Kegel's exercise. A total of 30 patients were enrol led in this study, with 12 patients as controls, to evaluate its effec t on hemodialysis patients. Exercise was performed for 25 to 30 min tw ice a day for at least 3 months. Results from the exercise group showe d a subjective improvement in appetite and physical strength, and an i ncrease in the frequency of bowel movements, in addition to enhanced s exual activity and a significant increase in Karnofsky scores. Six pat ients in the exercise group underwent bicycle ergometry and demonstrat ed a stable maximal oxygen consumption, whereas the control group reve aled a decline in maximal oxygen consumption. Photoelectric plethysmog raphy and laser-Doppler flowmetry demonstrated a pulsatile enhancement of the peripheral microcirculation. Abdominal sonography revealed an oscillatory change in the diameter of the inferior vena cava. It was c oncluded that these gentle exercise maneuvers may improve the quality of life in hemodialysis patients, especially weak dialysis patients. T he mechanism may be partly related to an improvement in microcirculati on.