Physical and psychological fitness in renal transplant recipients - the importance of early physical intervention
Abstract
High-quality life of renal transplant recipients requires a certain level of physical and psychological fitness. Our aim of the study was to assess the current status of physical and psychological fitness in the early post-renal transplant period and compare it with that of the general population.
Our group of patients included 67 individuals at a mean 71.5 days post-transplant (men - N = 39; mean age = 54.4+-12.1 years; women - N = 28; mean age = 55.6+-10.3 years). Their physical fitness was assessed using the "Senior Fitness Test Manual" while the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SFTM) questionnaire was used to assess the patients psychological fitness.
Except for women below age 64, physical fitness was decreased below standard values, or to its lower limit, particularly in tests requiring some degree of muscular strength of the lower limbs and physical efficiency. In testing assessing muscular strength of the upper limbs, and shoulder and hip joints, the values were within the standard range or above it.
Quality of life, as evaluated using the generic part of the KDQOL-SFTM - SF36, was in agreement with standard in three domains - bodily pain (BP), energy, fatigue/vitality (EF), and emotional wellbeing (EWB) while remaining below the normal in all the other dimensions. In the 40-59 year age group, there were statistically significant differences (p { 0.01) in physical restriction (RP) and social function (SF), with markedly lower quality of life reported by the study patients.
Using the disease-specific part of the KDQOL-SFTM questionnaire, quality of life reached US standards in all the parameters studied but without exceeding them in most cases. Conclusions: An increase in physical fitness and work capacity is most important particularly in the first post-transplant year and is associated with regular exercise.