Can mountain hiking and bathing in healing waters improve balance and immune system function in older people?

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Balance, immune system health; Not Applicable

• Registration Number: ISRCTN18092043
• Lead Sponsor: Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg

Brief Summary

2019 results in: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31004732 (added 21/06/2019)

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Completion: 2016-12-04
• Study Start: 2018-11-21
• Last Update Posted: 15 July 2019

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 139

Inclusion Criteria

1. Aged 65-85 years
2. Community-dwelling
3. Stable chronic age-associated non-immunological condition
4. Normal range of reference laboratory test results
5. Sufficient physical ability to meet the demands of the exercise program.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Cognitive impairment (Folstein Mini Mental State <23)
2. Depression (Geriatric Depression Scale =6)
3. Poorly controlled hypertension (systolic blood pressure =180 mmHg)
4. Renal insufficiency (serum creatinine =2.0 mg/dl)
5. Elevated glucose (non-fasting >200 mg/dl)
6. Malnutrition (serum albumin <3.2 g/l)
7. Lymphocytopenia (total lymphocyte count <1500/microl)
8. Anemia (hematocrit <30%)
9. Abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (<0.3 or >4.0 mU/l)
10. Immunologically mediated chronic conditions
11. Immunodeficiency
12. Severe respiratory disorders
13. Psychiatric disorders
14. Arteriosclerotic event during 2 weeks before enrollment
15. Cardiac insufficiency
16. Malignancies and lymphoproliferative disorders
17. History of alcoholism
18. Current drug abuse
19. Currently smoking >10 cigarettes/day
20. Contraindications for balneotherapy

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<br> 1. Static balance assessed using the MFT-S3 Check device (Bodywork, Trend Sport Trading GmbH, Großhöflein, Austria)<br> 2. Dynamic Balance assessed using the Zebris FDM semiautomatic gait analysis mat (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany)<br> 3. Phagocytosis activity of monocytes and granulocytes assessed using Phagotest (BD Biosciences)<br> 4. Senescent T-cells assessed using 9-color FACS analysis for markers CD3, CD4, CD8, CD57, KLRG1, CD27, CD28, CD45-RA and CCR7<br> All primary outcomes were assessed at T0-T3 (T0 = Day 0, T1 = Day 7, T2 = Day 60, T3 = Day 180).<br>

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<br> 1. Body composition assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis<br> 2. Confidence in balance assessed using Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale questionnaire<br> 3. Depression assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale questionnaire<br> 4. Wellbeing assessed using WHO-5 questionnaire<br> 5. Dementia assessed using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test<br> 6. White blood cell proportions assessed using a differential blood count<br> 7. Hand grip measured with a digital hand grip dynamometer<br> 8. Physical activity assessed using the German PAQ-50+ questionnaire<br> All secondary outcomes were assessed at T0-T3 (T0 = Day 0, T1 = Day 7, T2 = Day 60, T3 = Day 180) except PAQ-50+ Questionnaire, which was assessed at T0, T2 and T3.<br>