Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to confirm the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and anemia on physical function and to clarify whether the interaction between CKD and anemia has an additive effect. DESIGN: Eligible subjects were chronic heart failure (HF) patients who were discharged between March 2007 and August 2009. A total of 102 chronic HF patients (33% females; mean age: 68 ± 14 years) were enrolled in the present study. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2), and anemia was defined as a hemoglobin level of <12 g/dl in males and of <11 g/dl in females. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to assess physical function. RESULTS: The adjusted mean SPPB score was lower in patients with both CKD and anemia than in those with neither of the diseases or with either disease alone (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study found that CKD and anemia are independently associated with reduced physical function.