Conclusions : Compared to age-matched population s , people with ESKD/HD had significantly slower GS and reduced walk distances ; with intervention , the change in the distance walked was significant .
Background : People with end-stage kidney disease ( ESKD ) on hemodialysis ( HD )  commonly have functional impairments .
The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of HD on spatio-temporal characteristics of gait , and effect of exercise on these parameters .
Determinants of physical performance in ambulatory patients on hemodialysis.
BACKGROUND Physical performance measures , particularly  gait speed  , have been useful as predictors of loss of independence , institutionalization , and mortality in older nonuremic individuals .  Gait speed has not been evaluated as a predictor of these important outcomes in patients on hemodialysis , nor have the determinants of gait speed in the dialysis population been studied . METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis to determine whether demographic , clinical , or nutritional status variables were related to physical performance in a group of 46 hemodialysis patients treated at three University of California San Francisco-affiliated dialysis units . Three physical performance measures were examined , including  gait speed , time to climb stairs , and time to rise from a chair five times in succession . Forward stepwise linear-regression analysis was performed with each physical performance measure as the dependent variable and the following c and i date predictor variables : age , gender , body mass index , dialysis vintage , Kt/V , albumin , blood urea nitrogen , creatinine , hematocrit , lean body mass , phase angle , ferritin , and the following comorbidities : hypertension , diabetes mellitus , coronary artery disease , peripheral vascular disease , and cerebrovascular disease . RESULTS Subjects included 31 men and 15 women aged 22 to 87 years ( mean + /- SD , 52 + /- 17 ) . The mean gait speed for the group was 113.1 + /- 34.5 cm/s ( low compared with norms established for persons of similar age ) . Results of multivariable regression showed that age , albumin , and Kt/V were important determinants of gait speed in this population . Overall , the model explained 52 % of the variability in gait speed ( r = 0.72 , P < 0.0001 ) . Qualitatively similar results were obtained using stair-climbing time or chair-rising time as the dependent variables , except that comorbidity was more important than age for stair climbing . The addition of physical activity level to the models did not eliminate the associations of albumin or Kt/V with physical performance . CONCLUSIONS Physical performance is significantly impaired in ambulatory hemodialysis patients and is related to age , serum albumin , and dialysis dose . Prospect i ve studies are needed to determine whether modification of dialysis dose or nutritional interventions can improve physical performance in patients on hemodialysis
Conclusions : Compared to age-matched population s , people with ESKD/HD had significantly slower GS and reduced walk distances ; with intervention , the change in the distance walked was significant .
Background : People with end-stage kidney disease ( ESKD ) on hemodialysis ( HD )  commonly have functional impairments .
The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of HD on spatio-temporal characteristics of gait , and effect of exercise on these parameters .