1. Introduction
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem with a high prevalence worldwide (~12%) [
1] , with 21.4% in older adults [
2]. Low-intensity aerobic exercise has been proven to benefit these patients, decreasing complications and improving kidney function [
3]. On the contrary, some studies have reported that a single high-intensity resistance training session causes acute kidney damage in healthy young volunteers [
4], and others observe a temporary decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in sedentary, active adults over 64 years [
5]. Indicating potential dangers of acute high-intensity exercise for older adults with CKD, exacerbated when exercise is performed for a long time and in dehydrating climatic conditions [
6,
7]. However, despite the importance of understanding the relationship between high-intensity exercise and kidney dysfunction, the immediate effects of three different exercise intensities (high, moderate, and low) on the renal function of older adults remain unstudied.
Conventional methods for assessing kidney function in older adults are often inadequate. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is the recommended method for earlier detection and better management of CKD in this population because GFR indicates the natural kidney dysfunction associated with aging [
8].
There are several methods available for calculating GFR in humans: the 3-hour volume of distribution method, iohexol measured by HPLC-UV [
9], the simplified one-compartment model corrected by the Bröchner-Mortensen formula [
10], the camera-based method using 99mTc-DTPA [
11], and p-amino hippuric acid clearance [
12]. The most suitable methods for estimating GFR in clinical practice are serum creatinine (Cr) and cystatin C (CysC) concentrations. According to Laterza et al. (2002), CysC is considered a more reliable and accurate marker than Cr [
13]; both methods have been utilized to assess kidney damage from acute intense exercise, such as after an ultramarathon [
14].
Hence, this study aimed to assess the immediate effects of three aerobic exercise intensities on eGFR in healthy, sedentary older adults using serum concentrations of Cr and CysC. Understanding the acute responses of GFR to different exercise intensities can help healthcare professionals tailor exercise recommendations to their individual needs and identify those who may require closer monitoring during physical activity.
3. Results
According to the analyzed health parameters (
Table 1), the participants were in good health on average; however, they were overweight (26.8 ± 3.3 kg·m
-2) and had low aerobic fitness (28.6 ± 7.1 ml·kg
-1·min
-1).
Besides, seven of the 18 individuals had a resting eGFR of less than 60 mL·min-1·1.73 m-2 on at least two occasions (Table II Supplementary file).
CysC and Cr serum concentrations and eGFR were not modified at any exercise intensity (
Figure 3). However, a negative correlation was observed between blood total cholesterol vs. eGFR (R= -0.512, R= -0.582, R= -0.531; p <0.05) at rest, 60%, and 100% of the maximal heart rate measured during the maximal exercise test, respectively. Besides, a negative correlation was observed between age vs. eGFR at 60% of the intensity of the maximal heart rate (R= -0.516; p <0.05).
4. Discussion
The central outcome of this study indicated that a single aerobic exercise on a bicycle and short duration (≤20 min), at low (60%), moderate (80%), and high (100%) intensities did not affect serum concentrations of CysC, Cr, or eGFR in sedentary older adults (
Figure 3). During physical exercise, the blood is redistributed throughout the different body compartments to hemodynamic factors, mechanoreceptor stimulation caused by muscle contractions, and rapid sympathetic nervous system activation [
24,
25,
26]. This compartment redistribution increases the blood flow to active muscles and decreases the flow to less active and visceral organs, including the kidneys [
24]. Consequently, this redistribution could decrease the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), exacerbated at higher muscle contractions [
27] or when exercise is performed in dehydrating climatic conditions [
28], especially in older adults who have already experienced a decline in GFR [
5]. Under these arguments, one might expect a decrease in GFR during exercise. However, it has been shown that the reduction in blood circulation at the glomerulus level and, consequently, in GFR only occurs for a few seconds at the onset of exercise [
5], so this work did not observe modifications in the baseline values at the final of the exercise.
The stability of eGFR across different exercise intensities observed in this study may be attributed to several physiological mechanisms. 1) The kidneys possess a robust autoregulatory system that helps maintain relatively constant renal blood flow and GFR despite fluctuations in systemic blood pressure during exercise [
7]. 2) The 20-minute exercise sessions in our study were not long enough to elicit significant changes in kidney function, unlike prolonged exercise sessions, which result in dehydration and reduced renal perfusion in older adults [
6]. 3) Physical exercise at low intensities offers protective effects on kidney function [
3].
Our results align with those of Poussel et al. (2020), who found no significant GFR modifications after an extreme endurance event such as ultramarathons in highly-trained individuals [
14]. However, this differs from those of Poortmans & Ouchinsky (2006), who reported a 30% reduction in GFR after a maximal exercise test in adults over 64 years [
5]. This discrepancy could be attributed to 1) the exercise duration mentioned above; 2) participant characteristics: our sample was primarily comprised of healthy older adults, which may differ from other studies in terms of fitness levels or underlying health conditions; and 3) methodological differences: variations in the methods to estimate or measure GFR in different studies could result in discrepancies.
On the other hand, there is a natural and progressive decline in kidney function with age [
29], primarily due to structural and vascular changes such as nephrosclerosis, loss of renal mass, and impaired angiogenesis [
30]. These changes result in altered renal blood flow and decreased GFR in this population [
8]. The natural reduction in GFR is generally not clinically significant under normal conditions, and the kidney retains its functionality at an advanced age, but it could be critical during acute illnesses and pathological conditions. This study highlights no associations between age and eGFR at the basal level but at 60% of maximal exercise intensity, which tells us that GFR measurements during low-intensity exercise are more sensitive than those at rest.
According to the KDIGO guidelines [
31], individuals with GFR <60 mL·min·1.73 m
2 of body surface area undergo chronic kidney disease; these values are linked to a high mortality ratio and fatal vascular events in individuals >70 years of age [
32], besides affects the medication doses and the management of several diseases [
33]. In this sense, this study revealed a high prevalence of low eGFR. Seven participants (38.9%) had a resting eGFR value <60 mL·min·1.73 m
2 registered on two occasions. These findings align with the results of Abdulkader et al. (2017), who reported impaired GFR in 19.3% of older adults, with 96.5% of those with associated comorbidities [
34]. Additionally, Mohan et al. (2022) report that approximately 37 million adults in the United States are affected by chronic kidney disease [
35]. Though a reduced resting GFR is considered normal and benign in aged persons [
7], regular monitoring of kidney function is necessary in these adults.
The significant negative correlation between eGFR and total cholesterol observed at the onset of the exercise tests demonstrates the high sensitivity of health status evaluation carried out under stress conditions, a relationship that must continue to be studied. CKD is independently associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk; numerous studies have proven this close relationship [
32,
34]. This study is one of the first to illustrate the connections in the context of acute exercise in older adults, which warrants further exploration.
The strengths of this study include controlled experiments, examining three exercise intensities, utilizing both Cr and CysC for GFR estimation, and focusing on older adults. The Cr as a biomarker for kidney function is influenced by factors such as stress, muscle mass, and dietary protein intake, which may be particularly relevant in older adults [
36]. Conversely, CysC is less affected by these factors and may provide a more accurate estimation of the GFR [
37]. However, both biomarkers could provide a more comprehensive assessment of the effect of acute exercise on kidney function. The limitations include a small sample size according to the program, a short duration of submaximal exercise, and the absence of direct GFR measurement.