Glittre activities of daily living test is reliable and valid in hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the validity, and the relative and absolute within-day reliability of the TGlittre in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Materials and methods

Thirty HD patients (52 ± 12 years) undertook the TGlittre twice on a single day, in a cross-sectional design. For validation purposes, participants TGlittre performance and accelerometry-based physical activity were correlated. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) were determined to assess within-day reliability.

Results

There was a moderate correlation between TGlittre performance and moderate to vigorous physical activity (r= −0.587; p= 0.001). The relative reliability of the test showed an ICC of 0.96. For the absolute reliability, the SEM was 13.05 s (0.22 min), and the MDC was 36.17 s (0.60 min).

Conclusions

TGlittre performance is associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity in HD patients, highlighting that those with higher levels of physical activity are likely to perform better on the TGlittre. Additionally, TGlittre shows a good to excellent intra-rater reliability and a low SEM. An MDC value was established.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Patients on hemodialysis have a low physical capacity and often struggle to simply complete their physical activities of daily living.

• The TGlittre is a tool for assessing functional capacity through completion of multiple physical activities of daily living and can be easily applied in a clinical setting.

• TGlittre is a valid test that elicit reliable physiological, hemodynamic, and physical performance responses in HD patients.

Keywords:

• End-stage renal disease
• renal dialysis
• activities of daily living
• exercise test
• evaluation

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Council for Technological and Scientific Development – CNPq (Process 456567/2014-3); Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – CAPES (Financial code 001).