Assessment of functional capacity and quality of life in chronic renal patients under hemodialysis treatment

Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the functional capacity and health-related quality of life in chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment, also checking possible correlations between these clinical variables and age, body mass index (BMI), and hemodialysis time. Sixteen patients were submitted to functional capacity assessment by means of the six-minute walk test (6WT), measures of maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, and by the fatigue severity scale (FSS). Patients also answered the SF-36 questionnaire. Functional capacity proved to be below predicted values at the 6WT and at respiratory, mainly expiratory muscles; mean FSS scores pointed to moderate fatigue. Patients over 60 years old and those with lesser hemodialysis time showed lower functional capacity only as to the distance walked at the 6WT. BMI did not interfere with functional capacity. Mean overall SF-36 scores were low; pain and lesser vitality were pointed as the SF-36 domains that most interfere in quality of life; age, BMI, and hemodialysis time have not shown to be relevant to most SF-36 domains. Results suggest that, with slight interference of age and hemodialysis time, patients with CRI undergoing hemodialysis treatment have poor functional capacity and health-related quality of life.