A total of 11 unselected adult patients on MHD from our center, aged 70 ¡À 10.7 (mean ¡À standard deviation) years, including 8 men and 3 women, accepted to follow the program under the supervision of qualified physiotherapists. Thirty-six exercise sessions of moderate intensity (twice a week, mean duration 40 minutes each, during 4.5 to 6 months), mainly involving leg muscles against an elastic resistance, were performed.
The exercise program was well tolerated and all patients completed it. Statistically significant improvements were observed in the following tests: Tinetti test, 23.9 ¡À 3.9 points before versus 25.7 ¡À 3.5 points after the program (P = .022); the Timed Up and Go test, 12.1 ¡À 6.6 versus 10 ¡À 5.8 seconds (P = .0156). Improvements in the 6-minute walk distance and in the one-leg balance tests just failed to reach statistical significance.
In this single-center pilot study, an intradialytic resistance band exercise program was feasible, well tolerated, and showed encouraging results on physical function.