ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MEDICINE 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2020 April;60(4):594-600

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.19.10181-8

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) in renal transplant recipients during an unsupervised physical exercise program

Gabriele MASCHERINI ¹, Elena ZAPPELLI ¹, Jorge CASTIZO OLIER ², Beatrice LEONE ¹, Giuseppe MUSUMECI ³, Valentina TOTTI ⁴, Alfredo IRURTIA ⁵, Giulio S. ROI ⁶, Giovanni MOSCONI ⁷, Gianluigi SELLA ⁸, Alessandro NANNI COSTA ⁹, Laura STEFANI ¹ ✉

¹ Sport and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; ² TecnoCampus Mataró-Maresme, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain; ³ Research Center on Motor Activities (CRAM), Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; ⁴ Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ⁵ National Institute of Physical Education of Catalunya (INEFC), Barcelona, Spain; ⁶ Department of Education and Research, Isokinetic Medical Group, Bologna, Italy; ⁷ Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy; ⁸ Sports Medicine Unit, Regional Hospital of Ravenna, Ravenna, Italy; ⁹ Italian National Transplant Center, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUND: Muscle weakness, incorrect body water distribution and reduced exercise tolerance are the main characteristics found in renal transplant recipients after surgical treatment. Regular physical supervised exercise programs, at moderate intensity, have been promoted to contrast these aspects, while few data are available for long-term unsupervised mixed exercise plans. Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) provides a semi-quantitative evaluation of body cell mass and body water. This study aims to approach the role of the BIVA analysis in the follow-up of Renal Transplant Group (RTG) and analyze the impact of unsupervised exercise program.
METHODS: Thirteen male RTG and ten healthy subjects, adherent to a tailored exercise program, at moderate intensity and prescribed in an unsupervised way, have been followed up for one year. Every six months all the subjects have been submitted to the ergometric test, echocardiographic exam and an analysis of body composition by bioimpedance. They were compared to a healthy control group (HG).
RESULTS: A significant reduction of the BMI was observed at the end of the study in the RTG group (T0 24.8±3.2, T12 24.2±3.2 kg/m2; P<0.05). BIVA has shown a lower right quadrant for RTG. All echocardiographic parameters were in a normal range, and no differences were found over time.
CONCLUSIONS: Unsupervised tailored and mixed exercise intervention reduces some cardiovascular risks factors. However, it does not modify the frailty of RTG. BIVA analysis seems to have appropriate sensitivity to highlight this aspect.

KEY WORDS: Exercise; Kidney transplantation; Body water; Body composition