Pretransplant Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Kidney Transplant Candidates: A Cross-Sectional Study

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Individuals with chronic kidney disease often face significant physical and clinical challenges, such as muscle weakness, fatigue, and reduced cardiorespiratory capacity, that impact their quality of life. Physical activity has emerged as an effective intervention to counteract these effects, with clinical guidelines recommending exercise as a standard treatment for kidney transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to assess pretransplant physical activity levels in a cohort of transplant patients and analyze their relationships with cardiovascular risk factors. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional, analytical, and correlational study was conducted from September 2020 to June 2022 with a sample of 122 kidney transplant recipients assessed before kidney transplantation. Sociodemographic data, anthropometric data, comorbidities, renal replacement therapy types, and clinical and analytical data were collected from the patients' clinical records. Physical activity was assessed via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. <b>Results:</b> The average time spent waiting for transplantation was 423 ± 405 days, which was longer (387 ± 524) in the group of those under 65 years than in those over 65 years (194 ± 256) (<i>p</i> = 0.010). The median energy expenditure was 1742 (IQR = 1719) METs. In addition, 15.6% of the participants reported inactivity. Men reported higher physical activity levels (median: 2076 METs/week; IQR: 2037) than women did (median: 1386 METs/week; IQR: 1238). A higher level of physical activity was found in non-dialysis patients, overweight patients, and those with a history of stroke. A significant positive correlation was found between physical activity levels and serum urea. <b>Conclusions:</b> Increased physical activity levels were observed in men and in participants under 65 years of age. Patients with cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, overweight and obesity, reported lower activity levels, whereas those with a prior history of cerebrovascular accidents engaged in more physical activity. This study highlights the importance of assessing physical activity and promoting exercise for chronic kidney disease patients awaiting kidney transplantation. Further research is needed to explore the evolution of physical activity in this population and its impact post-transplantation.