Effects of dual task training on attention and executive functioning in hemodialysis patients: a preliminary study.
Sadami Asano, Akihiko Murayama, Tomoharu Yamaguchi and 3 others
PMID 40511316WHAT IT FOUND
Dual-task training during aerobic exercise improved speed on a divided-attention test in hemodialysis patients compared with usual dialysis; exercise alone did not improve it.
Key findings
01The dual-task group completed the Trail Making Test B significantly faster after the intervention than before.
02The change in Trail Making Test B time was significantly different between the dual-task and control groups (p=0.008).
03The exercise-only group did not show a significant difference compared with control.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only nine dual-task, eight exercise, and eight control patients were analysed after five dropouts, so the result is preliminary and could be affected by chance or sampling bias. The study was single-site and did not test patients with upper limb motor disorders, visual impairments, or cerebrovascular disorders, so it may not apply to all dialysis patients. Cognitive function was measured only with Trail Making Test B time, so other attention and executive functions and real-world self-care were not assessed. The exercise-only group showed a numerical improvement but not a significant difference from control, so it is unclear whether the benefit is due to the cognitive task, the exercise, or their combination. The control group’s Trail Making Test B time became longer over 12 weeks, and the study could not tell whether that was age-related or specific to hemodialysis. The study did not examine brain activity or the mechanisms behind the effect.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that dual-task training is proven to improve everyday dialysis self-care. This was a small preliminary study that measured only Trail Making Test B time, and the exercise-only group did not differ significantly from control.