Effect of exercise in patients with diabetic kidney disease

Background/Aims: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important epidemic and public health problem, which occurs in many countries with an increasing prevalence. Over 50 million people throughout the world are known to have CKD and of these, more than 1 million require renal replacement therapies such as dialysis and renal transplantation. In recent years, the rising incidence of diabetes and hypertension, the two most common causes of CKD, have caused an increase in the prevalence of CKD, being responsible for over 70% of all cases of CKD. The current study was conducted to detect the effect of aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise in patients suffering from diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: Thirty patients with DKD, ranging from 18–46 years old, were included in this study from the Department of Internal medicine, Cairo University Hospitals. Subjects were divided randomly into two equal groups. Group 1 received aerobic exercises, and group 2 received resistance exercises for 3 months. All participants were evaluated before the first session of treatment and at the end of treatment through: creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, haemoglobin, glucose, blood pressure, and physical performance, which includes walking speed, ascending stairs, descending stairs, return time, muscle power and muscle endurance. Results: Both groups showed a decrease in urea, creatinine, sodium, blood glucose, blood pressure, and an increase potassium and physical performance. Conclusions: Resistance exercises, as well as aerobic exercise, have a positive effect on decreasing urea, creatinine, glucose, blood pressure, and increasing physical performance and so it can be used safely in DKD patients.