Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) in the United States Affects 26 Million Adults.

A new study suggests that patients with chronic renal failure may delay the need for a kidney transplant or dialysis and significantly extend their life if they walk more.

A team of researchers from the Hospital of China Medical University (Taiwan) published such findings on the pages of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Chronic renal failure is defined as the gradual loss of kidney function.. As CRF progresses, the kidneys cope with the elimination of toxic metabolic products and excess water from the body. The accumulation of harmful substances and fluids leads to serious complications, such as hypertension, nerve damage, anemia.

The end of this process is the terminal stage of renal failure - kidney failure. In this case, the kidneys practically stop functioning, and the patient needs dialysis or transplantation of a new organ. Dialysis is a complicated, uncomfortable and expensive procedure, and a donor kidney is also a very scarce resource.

Patients with chronic renal failure often complain of fatigue and lack of energy, and this in turn can reduce the level of physical activity. Therefore, in their latest study, scientists tested how simple exercise (walking) affects the health of such patients.

Even 30 minutes of walking per week are useful for chronic renal failure..

The team observed 6,363 patients with chronic renal failure, the average age of the participants was 70 years. Observation lasted from June 2003 to May 2013. All patients underwent stage 3-5 renal failure.

For 21% of participants, walking was the main physical exercise that they could exercise regularly..

Scientists estimated that patients who regularly walked were 21% less likely to need dialysis and kidney transplantation, and 33% less likely to die in 10 years of follow-up compared to patients who avoided such activity.

The second discovery was that the more patients with chronic renal failure walked, the less likely they were to die. These results are impressive:.

• Walking 1-2 times a week - the risk of death is 17% lower.

• Walking 3-4 times a week - the risk of death is 28% lower.

• Walking 4-6 times a week - the risk of death is 58% lower.

• Walking 7 times a week - the risk is 59% lower.

As for the need for dialysis and kidney transplantation, an increase in the load also gives a positive effect:.

• Walking 1-2 times a week - the risk of dialysis and transplantation is 19% lower.

• Walking 3-4 times a week - the risk is 27% lower.

• Walking 4-6 times a week - the risk is 43% lower.

• Walking 7 times a week - the risk is 44% lower.

In comments on the results of the study, co-author Dr. Che-YiChou wrote:

“We showed that patients with chronic renal failure with concomitant conditions are able to walk if they wish, and if this is done, such exercises are associated with better survival and lower risk of dialysis. Even the minimum norm - one 30-minute walk per week - may be useful, but more frequent and longer walks will have a greater effect. ”.

By the way, not only patients with chronic renal failure can benefit from regular walks. Foreign publications reported a new study, during which it turned out that long walks help prevent heart attacks in older people.

medbe. ru.