CKD associated with neuromuscular fatigue and reduced motivation

Quick facts
* CKD and older age are associated with fatigue
* Research shows reduced motivation among CKD patients
* CKD associated with neuromuscular fatigue

Fatigue is common in elderly individuals and those with CKD.  Recently, scientists explored the cause of fatigue in patients older than 60 years with chronic kidney disease.

This study is crucial because new data suggest that exercise benefits chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. But, fatigue restricts exercise. Identifying the cause of neuromuscular fatigue will allow healthcare professionals to design programs that target identified contributory factors. Hopefully, doing this will allow more elderly CKD patients to include exercise into their lifestyles.

Many factors contribute to fatigue in patients with CKD. For example, the kidneys produce erythropoietin, a hormone responsible for producing red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all body cells, including nerve cells and muscle cells. Patients with CKD frequently have low red blood cells, which may contribute to fatigue. In addition, sleep disorders and depression are rampant among CKD patients. Experts believe these also cause fatigue. 

Older individuals also experience fatigue. Sleep disorders, hormonal disturbance, chronic medical conditions and arthritis all play a role in fatigue among elderly individuals.

So, elderly individuals with CKD may be particularly prone to fatigue. This makes it difficult for them to exercise. 

Some researchers in France wanted to know the cause of neuromuscular fatigability (fatigability related to nerves and muscles) among people with CKD who were at least 60 years old.

 In the journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the researchers studied 45 individuals with CKD and 57 individuals without CKD who were older than 60. They used questionnaires to investigate fatigue and used a hand grip task to test neuromuscular fatigability. They found that CKD was associated with a reduced motivation subscale when studying fatigue. In addition, fatigue was associated with certain aspects of neuromuscular fatigability.

The writers concluded that “targeting exercise interventions might lessen fatigue and improve quality of life in CKD patients.”