Abstract:

BACKGROUND: A great number of researches abroad have demonstrated that exercise training has beneficial effects on the life quality of kidney transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of physical exercise training on life quality of kidney transplant recipients.
METHODS: Fifty-three patients with renal transplantation were randomly divided into experimental group (n=28) and control group (n=25). The patients in the experimental group received systematic physical exercise training and continued at least 6 months and patients in the control group without physical exercise training. Fifty-one cases of hemodialysis patients were randomly selected to compare the differences of life quality with kidney transplant recipients. Health survey was used for the life quality scores. The eight dimensions, such as physical function, and social function were compared between two groups after systematic physical exercise for 6 months.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Exercising patients had higher scores in the physical functioning, physical performance, bodily pain, vitality, role-emotional functioning and social functioning scales than the ones in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in role-emotional functioning, mental health and social functional areas (P > 0.05). After 6 months physical exercise, the scores in the experimental group and the control group were increased compared with those at 6 months after transplantation. In the control group, the vitality, role-emotional functioning and social functioning scales were not improved obviously. Compared with the control group, the physical functioning, physical performance, bodily pain, vitality, role-emotional functioning and social functioning scales in the experimental group were increased obviously (P < 0.05). Evidence gathered from the studies shows that physical exercise has beneficial effects on the life quality of kidney transplant recipients.