Physical activity correlates with lower risk of cardiovascular events in patients with CKD
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Higher self-reported physical activity correlated with lower risk for cardiovascular events among patients with chronic kidney disease, according to data published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
“Although CKD guidelines include recommendations for minimal levels of physical activity, the recommendations are largely based on studies in the general population. Due to the paucity of studies conducted in populations with CKD, the strength of evidence for CKD guideline recommendations is graded as low,” Jacob W. Bruinius, BS, from the department of medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues wrote.
In a prospective cohort study, researchers examined 3,926 patients with CKD from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study to determine the correlation of self-reported physical activity with risk for atherosclerotic composite (myocardial infarction, stroke or peripheral artery disease), incident heart failure, all-cause death and cardiovascular death.
Patients attended comprehensive evaluations at baseline, annual clinic visits and telephone calls at 6-month intervals. The median follow-up was 13.4 years. During the study, patients completed the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Typical Week Physical Activity Survey, which measured time-updated self-reported physical activity.
Researchers categorized physical activity using a quartile of moderate to vigorous physical activity and by meeting guideline-recommended levels of physical activity (categorized as active, meeting guidelines; active, not meeting guidelines; or inactive).
Using Cox proportional hazards models, researchers measured the correlation between time-updated physical activity and outcomes while adjusting for potential confounders.
Among the 3,926 patients, 51% met physical activity guidelines. Of those who did not, 30% were inactive. A total of 772 atherosclerotic events, 848 heart failure events, 1,553 deaths and 420 CVD occurred during the follow-up. Analyses revealed that patients in the highest quartile had a lower risk for atherosclerotic events, incident heart failure and all-cause and CVD compared with those in the lowest quartile.
“In conclusion, our findings support that the well-established cardioprotective effects of physical activity in the general population also hold true for adults with CKD,” Bruinius and colleagues wrote. “Consequently, our findings strengthen the evidence in support of current guideline recommendations and have important implications for clinical care, as well as future interventional studies in adults with CKD.”
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