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Clinical Impact of a Digital Home-based Falls Prevention Program on Elderly People

Not Applicable
Not yet recruiting
Conditions
Fall
Interventions
Device: Biofeedback device
Behavioral: Education on falls risk
Other: Medication review
Diagnostic Test: Visual and auditory screening
Registration Number
NCT03750500
Lead Sponsor
Sword Health, SA
Brief Summary

This study is a single-center, prospective, non-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with an experimental and a control group with the aim of evaluating the clinical impact of a home-based falls prevention program using a new biofeedback system on community-dwellers older adults with fall risk in comparison with standard of care.

The experimental group will perform a 12-week exercise program at home, under remote monitoring from a clinical team, whereas the control group will benefit from standard medical care currently in place at the participating primary care facility.

The hypothesis is that the home-based falls prevention program will lead to a lower risk of falling than standard medical care.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
100
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Patients aged over 65 years old
  2. Ability to walk at least 20 meters, unaided or with unilateral support
  3. Ability to understand motor complex commands
  4. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > 24 points
  5. Functional independence for instrumental activities of daily living
  6. Risk of recurrent falls, defined as 5xSST score > 15,00 seconds
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Patients residing in nursing homes, daycare units or assisted-living facilities
  2. Aphasia, dementia or psychiatric comorbidity, significantly interfering with communication or compliance with a home-based exercise program
  3. Severe visual our hearing, interfering with communication or with compliance to a home-based exercise program
  4. Cardiac, respiratory or other condition incompatible with at least 30 minutes of light to moderate physical activity
  5. Osteoarticular conditions (e.g. severe osteoarthrosis), which prevent the patient from complying with a home-based exercise program
  6. Patients with neurologic conditions (e.g. stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease)
  7. Other medical complications, which prevent the patient from complying with a home-based exercise program
  8. Illiteracy

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ExperimentalMedication reviewParticipants included in this arm will benefit from a 12-week exercise program using the novel biofeedback rehabilitation device, under remote monitoring from a physical therapist
ExperimentalVisual and auditory screeningParticipants included in this arm will benefit from a 12-week exercise program using the novel biofeedback rehabilitation device, under remote monitoring from a physical therapist
ExperimentalBiofeedback deviceParticipants included in this arm will benefit from a 12-week exercise program using the novel biofeedback rehabilitation device, under remote monitoring from a physical therapist
Standard of CareEducation on falls riskPatients included in this arm will benefit from the standard of care currently in place in the Primary Care facility: education on risk factors for falls, medication review, visual and auditory acuity screening.
ExperimentalEducation on falls riskParticipants included in this arm will benefit from a 12-week exercise program using the novel biofeedback rehabilitation device, under remote monitoring from a physical therapist
Standard of CareMedication reviewPatients included in this arm will benefit from the standard of care currently in place in the Primary Care facility: education on risk factors for falls, medication review, visual and auditory acuity screening.
Standard of CareVisual and auditory screeningPatients included in this arm will benefit from the standard of care currently in place in the Primary Care facility: education on risk factors for falls, medication review, visual and auditory acuity screening.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in the 5 Times Sit to Stand TestBaseline; week 4; week 8; week 12 and then week 24

The 5 Times Sit to Stand Test is a performance test that measures the strength and the lower limb mobility. It consists of the time it takes to stand up from a chair five consecutive times. A cutoff value of 15 seconds is used to distinguish between individuals with and without risk of recurrent falls

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in the Berg Balance ScaleBaseline; week 4; week 8; week 12 and then week 24

The Berg Balance Scale was developed to evaluate the static and dynamic balance in three domains: sitting, standing and changing posture. It is a scale composed of 14 items graded by an external observer on 5 levels (from 0 to 4). Scale scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores representing a higher level of functionality.

Change in the Timed Up and Go Test scoreBaseline; week 4; week 8; week 12 and then week 24

The TUG is a performance test that assesses the mobility, balance and gait in elderly individuals, consisting of the time it takes to stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn around, come back and sit down again.

Change in the Shorts Falls Efficacy Scale-InternationalBaseline; week 4; week 8; week 12 and then week 24

The Shorts Falls Efficacy Scale-International was developed in order to systematize on a scale the fear of falling. It is a questionnaire of 7 items filled by the user, evaluating from 1 to 4 the fear of falling during the execution of a series of activities of daily living. It is a standardized and comparable measure over time, which provides an additional dimension in the characterization of participants. The cutoff levels are: low fear (7-8); moderate fear (9-13) and high fear (14-28).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

USF Aldoar

🇵🇹

Porto, Portugal

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