PURPOSE: The current pilot and feasibility study was designed to examine the effect of 48 weeks of moderate intensity exercise training and dietary modification on kidney function and vascular parameters in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. METHODS: Twenty-one stage 2 to 4 CKD patients (age 18 to 70 years) were randomly assigned to either the training group (TG, n = 10) or the usual care group (UC, n = 11) for 48 weeks. The TG received 48 weeks of personal training (3 days/week for up to 55 minutes per session at 50 to 60% VO2peak and dietary counseling while individuals in the UC received standard of care and were instructed not to start a structured exercise program while in the study. VO2peak, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), resting and ambulatory heart rate (HR), plasma lipids (total cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, triglycerides), and inflammatory markers (hsCRP, IL6) were assessed at baseline and weeks 24 and 48. An independent groups t-test was used to compare GFR slopes between groups while all other data were analyzed with ANCOVA using the baseline value as the covariate. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in any of the parameters at baseline. The 48-weeks intervention led to a significant increase in VO2peak, reductions in both resting and ambulatory HRs and increases in LDLc and in TG, but it had no effect on the rate of change of eGFR over time. CONCLUSIONS: A 48 week exercise training program, primarily focused on aerobic exercise, increases VO2peak and favorably alters autonomic function as evidenced by reductions in heart rates in stages 2 to 4 CKD patients. The exercise intervention had no effect on kidney function as assessed by eGFR.

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