The Borg scale is a sustainable method for prescribing and monitoring self-administered aerobic endurance exercise in patients with chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Aim

To examine adherence, performance, and safety of self-administered aerobic endurance exercise when exercise intensity was prescribed and self-monitored with the Borg RPE scale in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the relationship between performed exercise and change in walking distance.

Materials and Methods

97 men and 50 women (age 66 ± 14 years, measured GFR 22 ± 8 mL/min/1.73m²) were prescribed 60 min aerobic endurance exercise/week at RPE 13–15. The 6-minute walk test was measured at 0, 4, 8 and 12 months of exercise.

Results

100 patients completed the study, 80% reported exercise intensity at 12 months, 74% performed exercise within the prescribed RPE. Median RPE was 13 (13–15). Median duration was 56 (33–109) minutes/week. Patients with a short walking distance at baseline performed significantly less minutes of exercise/week (p = 0.039). There was no correlation between weekly duration and change in walking distance. No exercise-related incidents were recorded. Walking distance improved significantly by 30 ± 56 metres (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The Borg RPE scale is useful, acceptable, simple and safe for prescribing and monitoring intensity of self-administered aerobic endurance exercise in patients with CKD. A RPE of 13–15 improved walking distance in well-functioning and deconditioned patients, within a wide range of weekly duration of exercise.

Keywords:

• Training -aerobic
• rehabilitation
• chronic kidney disease
• exercise -cardiovascular
• exercise prescription
• the Borg scale
• 6-minute walk test

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants in the RENEXC-trial, as well as the renal failure nurses Carina Holmesson and Marianne Liljenborg and medical secretary Ann-Charlotte Malmberg for their time and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Birgit and Sven-Håkan Ohlsson’s trust; Anna-Lisa and Sven Eric Lundgren’s trust; the Academy of Health Care Sciences, Skåne University Hospital’s Research Funds.