A Twice-Daily Individual Targeted Exercise Program in Frail Hospitalised Older Medical In-patients (RCT)

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Frail Older Adults
• Interventions: Other: Intervention exercise; Other: Sham Exercise

• Registration Number: NCT02463864
• Lead Sponsor: University College Cork

Brief Summary

This study will help to determine whether frail older medical inpatients will benefit from targeted exercise sessions performed twice daily while in hospital. Half of the patients will complete targeted strengthening, balance and endurance exercises and the other half, stretching and relaxation exercises. The exercise sessions will be assisted and supported by a senior physiotherapist.

Detailed Description

It is well known that older medical patients can experience functional decline following an acute hospital admission and this can persist for up to three months. The targeted exercises are designed to prevent this functional decline by maintaining the patients' strength, balance and endurance. To counterbalance the considerable time spent with the physiotherapy services in the intervention arm, the control group will receive stretches and relaxation exercises. Patients' length of stay is the primary outcome measure. Their physical performance and quality of life at discharge and at 3 months post discharge and their readmission rates are the secondary outcome measures.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-03
• Study First Submitted: 2015-05-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-06-02
• Study First Posted: 2015-06-04
• Primary Completion: 2017-02
• Study Completion: 2017-05
• Status Verified: 2017-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-11-14
• Last Update Posted: 2017-11-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 190

Inclusion Criteria

• medical patients
• anticipated length of stay greater than 2 days
• planned for discharge home
• mobility aid and /or assistance required on admission

Exclusion Criteria

• contraindications to exercise
• unable to follow commands in the English language
• unable to exercise with the assistance of one person only
• when active palliative care is required
• when full isolation for containment of a contagious infection is required

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention exercise	Intervention exercise	Twice daily, individual, targeted, strengthening, balance and endurance exercise sessions
Sham exercise	Sham Exercise	Twice daily, individual, stretching and relaxation exercise sessions

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Length of Stay	At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission)	Patients length of hospital stay is recorded at the time of discharge from electronic admissions data

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Quality of Life	At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission); and again at 3 months post discharge	The EQ5D-5L will be completed by the patient.
Re-admission Rate	From the time of hospital discharge to 3 months post discharge	The number of admissions within 3 months following the index admission will be recorded from hospital electronic records
Physical Performance	At time of discharge from hospital (an expected average of 8 days post admission); and again at 3 months post discharge	The Short Physical Performance Battery will be completed, which includes a timed 4 m walk. Patients can score 0-12; scoring higher with better physical performance.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Mercy University Hospital; 🇮🇪 Cork, Ireland