Table 2.
Highest ranked questions in each panel, round 2 and round 3
| Round 2 |
Round 3 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Question | Median (IQR) | Question | Median (IQR) |
| Patients | |||
| Can exercise reduce changes in blood pressure in patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 8 (7.5–9) | What factors must be taken into consideration when deciding which patients are safe to start and continue an exercise program (e.g., age, frailty, cardiovascular comorbidities, etc.)? | 9 (8–9) |
| Does increased physical activity affect the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (e.g., heart attacks, strokes) in patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 9 (7–9) | What is the effect of exercise on mortality among the transplant population? | 8.5 (8–9) |
| What are the patients’ perspectives on exercise and what factors would motivate patients at all stages of CKD to exercise? | 8 (7–9) | What exercise programs are feasible and sustainable for dialysis patients, allowing a high level of adherence in the long term (i.e., the role of guidance and accountability on adherence and patient encouragement)? | 8.5 (7–9) |
| Policymakers | |||
| Does exercise improve quality of life in patients who require dialysis? | 9 (8–9) | Does exercise improve quality of life in patients who require dialysis? | 8 (8–9) |
| What exercise-related outcomes are meaningful to patients? | 8 (8–9) | Does increased physical activity affect the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (e.g., heart attacks, strokes) in patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 8 (7–9) |
| Does exercise decrease fatigue in nondialysis CKD patients? | 8 (7.5–9) | How can exercise reduce the risk of institutionalization in patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 8 (7–9) |
| Researchers | |||
| How can we make exercise a standard component of care for patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 9 (7–9) | How can we make exercise a standard component of care for patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 9.0 (8–9) |
| What exercise-related outcomes are meaningful to patients? | 8 (7–9) | Does exercise improve quality of life in patients who require dialysis? | 8.0 (8–9) |
| To what extent can exercise impact the likelihood of falls in patients at all stages of CKD, including dialysis? | 8 (7–9) | How can we implement exercise in a dialysis unit setting in a cost-efficient way (e.g., medical insurance coverage, funding, etc.)? | 8.5 (8–9) |
| Clinicians | |||
| Does regular exercise within the CKD population save health care dollars (e.g., hospital admissions, length of stay, re-admissions, etc.)? | 9 (8–9) | Does regular exercise within the CKD population save health care dollars (e.g., hospital admissions, length of stay, readmissions, etc.)? | 9 (8–9) |
| Can early introduction of exercise in CKD patients delay initiation of dialysis/slow GFR decline? | 9 (7–9) | Can early introduction of exercise in CKD patients delay initiation of dialysis/slow GFR decline? | 9 (8–9) |
| How can we implement exercise in a dialysis unit setting in a cost-efficient way (e.g., medical insurance coverage, funding, etc.)? | 9 (7–9) | How can we implement exercise in a dialysis unit setting in a cost-efficient way (e.g., medical insurance coverage, funding, etc.)? | 9 (7–9) |
CKD, chronic kidney disease; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; IQR, interquartile range.