Upper limb edema and depression signs: physical therapy can help patients in hemodialysis?

Abstract

Often, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have depression as associated symptom. This comorbidity may occur due to several factors caused by the illness or its consequences. Furthermore, this population is submitted to hemodialysis, which requires an arteriovenous fistula perform, that yields a generalized edema in the upper limb. The general framework can lead to difficulties in daily activities, worsening the quality of life. So this study was to verify the fact that this population is inserted into a continuous physical therapy program may be related to the condition in the upper limb edema and depression signs. Thus, we evaluated 84 chronic renal failure patients, divided into two groups: GF - CKD patients entered into the therapy program and GC - CKD patients without therapy treatment. It was applied the test of homogeneity of group contingencies. Significant differences were found for all conditions evaluated (edema, depression, and both), both together and separately. Therefore, the regular practice of physical therapy is associated with a lower frequency of upper limb edema and depression signs in patients with CKD.