Walking Helps CKD Patients Live Longer

Walking might help in prolonging life of chronic kidney disease patients, a study states.

According to the study, conducted by researchers at the China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, walking helps people with kidney disease prolong their lives. Active people also have lower risk of needing dialysis and kidney transplant.

Chronic kidney disease is when the kidneys lose their function. Autoimmune diseases, birth defects and exposure to toxic chemicals can cause CKD.

According to data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) around ten percent of U.S adults, which is around 20 million people have some degree of CKD. The disease severity varies with age. People over 70 years of age are most likely to have the disease.

The study was based on data from 6,363 patients of CKD (stages 3 to 5). The participants were enrolled in the CKD program of China Medical University Hospital from June 2003 to May 2013. Average age of the patients was 70 years and they were followed for roughly 1.3 years.

Researchers found that the more people walked, the less likely they were to die early. In the study group, those who walked had 33 percent lower risk of premature death and 21 percent reduction in dialysis need.

"We have shown that CKD patients with comorbidities were able to walk if they wanted to, and that walking for exercise is associated with improved patient survival and a lower risk of dialysis," said Che-Yi Chou MD, one of the study authors, according to a news release. "A minimal amount of walking-just once a week for less than 30 minutes-appears to be beneficial, but more frequent and longer walking may provide a more beneficial effect."

The study is published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).