Impact of stage-specific limb function exercises guided by a self-management education model on arteriovenous fistula maturation status

Table 1 Participants characteristics at baseline, n (%)

Characteristic	Observation group (n = 35)	Control group (n = 35)	Statistic	P value
Age (yr)	59.46 ± 8.10	59.77 ± 9.19	-0.151	0.88
BMI (kg/m2)	23.13 ± 1.88	23.00 ± 1.82	0.321	0.75
Gender			1.062	0.30
Male	22 (62.86)	26 (74.29)
Female	13 (37.14)	9 (25.71)
Marital status			0.162	0.92
Unmarried	1 (2.86)	1 (2.86)
Married	30 (85.71)	31 (88.57)
Divorce or widowed	4 (11.43)	3 (8.57)
Degree of education			0.342	0.84
Elementary school or below	24 (68.57)	22 (62.86)
Secondary school	9 (25.71)	10 (28.57)
College or above	2 (5.71)	3 (8.57)
Per capita monthly income (yuan)			0.332	0.96
< 2000	8 (22.86)	10 (28.57)
≥ 2000, < 5000	20 (57.14)	18 (51.47)
≥ 5000, < 8000	5 (14.29)	5 (14.29)
≥ 8000	2 (5.71)	2 (5.71)
History of smoking			0.002	1.00
Yes	25 (71.43)	25 (71.43)
No	10 (28.57)	10 (28.57)
History of central venous catheterization before AVF			0.262	0.61
Yes	34 (97.14)	32 (91.42)
No	1 (2.86)	3 (8.57)
History of hypertension			/	1.003
Yes	35 (100.00)	34 (97.14)
No	0 (0.00)	1 (2.86)
History of diabetes			0.002	1.00
Yes	3 (8.57)	2 (5.71)
No	32 (91.43)	33 (94.29)

¹t test.

²χ² test.

³Fisher's test.

AVF: Arteriovenous fistulas; BMI: Body mass index.

Table 2 Status of self-management capacity for arteriovenous fistulae, M (P25, P75)

Group	Observation group	Control group	Z	P value
Symptom recognition	35.00 (34-38)	33.00 (32-35)	-3.35	0.01
Symptom management	17.00 (16-19)	17.00 (15-18)	-1.12	0.26
Symptom prevention	14.00 (13-14)	13.00 (12-14)	-2.12	0.03
Total self-management score	66.00 (63-71)	63.00 (59-67)	-2.21	0.03

Table 3 Maturity status of arteriovenous fistula (score, mean ± SD)

Time	Group	Observation group	Control group	t	P value
4 wk after surgery	Blood flow	511.51 ± 16.27a	506.06 ± 10.23c	1.68	0.10
	Intravascular diameter	5.13 ± 0.10a	5.00 ± 0.04c	7.10	0.00
	Depth from epidermis	2.62 ± 0.10a	3.05 ± 0.11c	-17.45	0.00
8 wk postoperatively	Blood flow	733.28 ± 10.51	707.00 ± 10.25	10.59	0.00
	Intravascular diameter	5.88 ± 0.27	5.18 ± 0.10	14.42	0.00
	Depth from epidermis	2.18 ± 0.10	2.62 ± 0.10	-18.00	0.00

^aP < 0.05 at the 4-wk postoperative point when juxtaposed with the 8-wk postoperative point within the observation group.

^cP < 0.05 at the 4-wk postoperative stage when compared with the 8-wk postoperative interval in the control group.

Table 4 Complications

Time	Group	Infection	Thrombus	Embolization	Aneurysm	Stenosis	Incision bleeding	Limb swelling	Total	Statistical value	P value
7 d postoperatively	Observation group	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	3	/	0.031
	Control group	1	0	0	0	0	1	9	11
4 wk postoperatively	Observation group	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	/	0.361
	Control group	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	4

¹Fisher's test.