HMN 2026: How Short daily home dialysis is better for preserving physical activity

Short daily home dialysis (SDHD) is associated with sustained preservation of physical activity, better postdialysis recovery, and improved sleep compared with conventional in-center hemodialysis (ICHD), according to a study published online June 18 in Kidney360.

Natalia-Guillemina Target, M.D., from Pôle Santé du Confluent in France, and colleagues compared SDHD to conventional ICHD over 12 months in a study enrolling 152 patients (82 SDHD and 70 ICHD).

The researchers found that SDHD patients had 28% higher activity levels at baseline (6,673 versus 4,768 steps/day), with the difference sustained throughout follow-up. Significantly lower physical activity was seen in ICHD patients on dialysis days, while stable patterns were maintained in SDHD patients. Greater sleep duration was seen in SDHD (up to 405 minutes/day), while lower duration was seen in ICHD (up to 202 minutes/day). In SDHD, sedentary time remained consistently lower and recovery time tended to be shorter (60 versus 120 minutes). Despite similar anemia and metabolic control, lower predialysis ?2-microglobulin and preserved nutritional markers were seen in SDHD.

“Collectively, these findings support SDHD as a patient-centered modality with potential clinical and quality-of-life benefits, warranting broader evaluation and further investigation,” the authors write.

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