The effects of exercise on pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Beatriz Luiza Marinho Cunha, Heloíse Benvenutti, Diogo V Leal et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined experimental studies of exercise and respiratory outcomes in people with chronic kidney disease across disease stages. Thirteen studies contributed to the meta-analyses. Exercise was associated with improvements in forced vital capacity (mean difference [MD] = 0.25 L; 95% CI: 0.01-0.50), maximal inspiratory pressure (MD = 11.47 cmH₂O; 95% CI: 7.73-15.22), and maximal expiratory pressure (MD = 10.42 cmH₂O; 95% CI: 5.53-15.31). No significant effects were found for FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, or peak expiratory flow.
Key findings
- Exercise improved FVC by MD = 0.25 L (95% CI: 0.01-0.50; I² = 51%).
- Maximal inspiratory pressure increased by MD = 11.47 cmH₂O (95% CI: 7.73-15.22; I² = 52%).
- Maximal expiratory pressure increased by MD = 10.42 cmH₂O (95% CI: 5.53-15.31; I² = 58%).
- No significant effects were observed for FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, or peak expiratory flow; subgroup analyses found no significant differences between exercise modalities.
Why it matters
Respiratory impairment can accompany chronic kidney disease, and these pooled findings suggest exercise may improve lung volume and respiratory muscle strength, outcomes relevant to functional rehabilitation. The absence of significant changes in other measured pulmonary outcomes, and the lack of evidence that one exercise modality is superior, help frame the results as selective rather than broad respiratory benefit.
What to keep in mind
Only 13 studies contributed to the meta-analyses, and heterogeneity was moderate for the outcomes with significant pooled effects. The modality subgroup analyses were exploratory.