The Ex-Frail Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Intradialytic Exercise for the Frail Haemodialysis Patient: The Ex-Frail Study
IRAS ID
203908
Contact name
Andrew Nixon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Frailty is a syndrome of reduced physical reserve that occurs as a consequence of progressive decline in multiple physiological systems. Frailty is common in elderly patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). We believe that it is imperative that we recognise frail patients with CKD as these patients are an at risk group. They have impaired physical performance, disability, poorer quality of life, and reduced survival. Frailty in CKD is a significant problem and one that we think is under-recognised in clinical practice.
Exercise training has been used in the CKD population in an effort to improve overall physical function. Recent reviews have demonstrated that exercise training improves aerobic capacity, muscular functioning, cardiovascular function, walking capacity and health-related quality of life.
Frailty could be mitigated by exercise training. Exercise intervention studies to date have not explored a targeted exercise program for frail dialysis patients, patients that potentially have the most to be gained. Furthermore, published studies have focused on improving exercise capacity and muscle strength rather than overall frailty. We would argue that frailty is a more clinically significant measure.
We would like to perform a study that compares the effects of a 12-week intradialytic resistance exercise program on the frailty scores of pre-frail and frail haemodialysis patients.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0688
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion