To improve aerobic capacity, muscular function, and health-related quality of life in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), regular exercise is recommended. Supervised intradialytic exercise at moderate intensity is a viable approach to ensure patient safety, maintain compliance, and effectively enhance physiological adaptations. However, the impact of exercise training on erythrocyte rheological properties in ESRD patients, such as red blood cell deformability, aggregation, and oxygen transport capacity, remains unclear.
Method: ESRD patients (anticipated n=180) will undergo supervised exercise training therapy three times per week for six months in the hospital, followed by three months at home. Cardiopulmonary exercise tests will be conducted before and after the intervention. Erythrocyte deformability and aggregation will be assessed using a laser-assisted optical rotational cell analyzer (LORCA), while additional protein levels and reactive oxygen species (ROS) status will be measured using a flow cytometer. This will help determine how exercise affects the rheological properties of red blood cells in this population.