ASN's Mission

To create a world without kidney diseases, the ASN Alliance for Kidney Health elevates care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world.

learn more

Contact ASN

1401 H St, NW, Ste 900, Washington, DC 20005

email@asn-online.org

202-640-4660

The Latest on X

Kidney Week

Please note that you are viewing an archived section from 2021 and some content may be unavailable. To unlock all content for 2021, please visit the archives.

Abstract: PO2383

Can Structured, Moderate Exercise Slow Kidney Function Decline in Sedentary Elders?

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2102 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Clinical, Outcomes, and Trials

Authors

  • Shlipak, Michael, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Hsu, Fang-Chi, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
  • Jotwani, Vasantha, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Tranah, Gregory J., California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Fielding, Roger A., Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, United States
  • Liu, Christine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
  • Ix, Joachim H., University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
  • Coca, Steven G., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States
Background

In numerous observational studies, higher physical activity is associated with slower declines in kidney function; however, no large trial has evaluated whether exercise can ameliorate kidney function decline in older adults. The Lifestyle Interventions and independence For Elders (LIFE) was a randomized clinical trial that demonstrated that a structured, moderate intensity physical activity (PA) intervention compared to a health education (HE) control intervention reduced the incidence of major disability among sedentary elders.

Methods

The LIFE-Kidney ancillary study evaluated whether this exercise intervention impacted the primary outcome of rate of eGFR change over two years. Participants were men and women aged 70-89 who reported being sedentary and were considered high risk for mobility impairment. Blood samples were collected pre-randomization (n=1,179), and at years 1 (n=1,155) and 2 (n=1,044) of follow-up; cystatin C was measured, and GFR was estimated by the CKD-EPI equation. Change in eGFR by cystatin C was the primary endpoint; rapid decline was defined by the high tertile threshold of 6.7%/year.

Results

At baseline, the two groups were well balanced by age, comorbidity and physical limitations, and had comparable eGFR. The PA group had eGFR values 0.5 and 1.5 ml/min/1.73m2 higher at years 1 and 2, respectively, and the average effect across the 2 follow-up visits was significantly different (p=0.04). Those in the PA arm were also less likely to experience a >6.7% annual eGFR decline compared to the HA arm (Table). In the PA arm, total steps completed was strongly associated with reduced eGFR decline (p=0.001), and mediated the effect of randomization to PA compared with HE (F statistic attenuated from 4.09 to 1.84).

Conclusion

Among sedentary elders, randomization to a program of moderate exercise slowed kidney function decline over 2 years compared with a control arm of health education.

 Physical ActivityHealth Education Controlp-value
Baseline eGFRcys54.053.40.52
Year 1 eGFRcys52.652.10.33
Year 2 eGFRcys51.550.00.02
eGFR decline >6.7%/year over 2 years135 (25.9%)167 (32.2%)0.02
Adusted* OR; 95% CI0.81; 0.66-0.99Ref.0.04

*Adjusted for baseline eGFR

Funding

  • NIDDK Support