Abstract: 【Abstract】Objective To explore the impact of virtual reality (VR)-based somatosensory games integrated into the home exercise management on fall risk and quality of life in dialysis patients. Methods A total of 42 hemodialysis patients from the Blood Purification Center of the Army Special Medical Center were randomly designated into the study group or the control group. Patients in both groups were treated with conventional hemodialysis and nursing management including diet and nutrition guidance and treatment of complications. VR-based somatosensory games were integrated into the home exercise management in the study group,while exercise and daily activities were allowed ad libitum in the control group. They were followed up for 6
months. The confidence of self and regular exercise, the fall risk, and the quality of life were evaluated before and after the intervention between the two groups. Result Six months after the enrollment, the self-efficacy for exercise (SEE) scores and overall scores were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. The Morse fall score decreased significantly in the study group than in the control group [(40.38 ±10.73) vs. (29.23 ± 7.46), t=3.068, P<0.001] after 3 months of intervention, and so did [(37.09 ± 9.40) vs. (18.42±6.88), t=4.063, P<0.001] after 6 months of intervention. The scores of the eight dimensions in the SF-36 quality of life scale were lower in both groups at the beginning of the enrollment. After 6 months of intervention,
physical function(PF) [(42.00±12.85) vs. (55.71±12.34), t=-3.525, P=0.001], restriction problem due to physical function(RP) [(42.23 ± 12.87) vs. (59.90 ± 17.34), t=- 3.748, P<0.001], body perturbation (BP) [(42.76±11.76) vs. (51.38±11.91), t=-2.358, P=0.023], general health prediction (GHP) [(41.28±10.82) vs. (50.47±8.20), t=3.101, P=0.003], vital test (VT) [(38.85±13.52) vs. (55.00±11.99), t=-4.091,P<0.001], and mental health (MH) [(34.23±14.24) vs. (51.80±22.45), t=-3.028, P=0.004] scores were higher in the study group than in the control group. Conclusion The integration of VR- based somatosensory games into the home exercise management is beneficial to improve the confidence and initiative of self- and regular- exercise, to reduce fall risks, and to increase the quality of life. Therefore, this method is worthwhile to be used clinically.

Key words: Dialysis, Virtual reality, Somatosensory game, Fall, Quality of life