A study protocol of a randomised controlled trial to measure the effects of an augmented prescribed exercise programme (APEP) for frail older medical patients in the acute setting

BMC Geriatrics

Study Protocol

Suzanne Timmons¹  Ruth McCullagh¹  Sarah O’Meara²  Kieran O’Connor³  Ivan Perry⁴  Anthony Fitzgerald⁴  Eimear O’Connell⁵  N. Frances Horgan⁶ 

[1] Centre for Gerontology & Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;Clinical Research Facility, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland;Department of Geriatric Medicine, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland;Epidemiology & Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland;Physiotherapy Department, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland;School of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland;

关键词: Frail;    Medical;    Inpatients;    Exercise;    Physiotherapy;    Length of stay;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12877-016-0252-z

 received in 2015-11-24, accepted in 2016-04-02,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundOlder adults experience functional decline in hospital leading to increased healthcare burden and morbidity. The benefits of augmented exercise in hospital remain uncertain. The aim of this trial is to measure the short and longer-term effects of augmented exercise for older medical in-patients on their physical performance, quality of life and health care utilisation.Design & MethodsTwo hundred and twenty older medical patients will be blindly randomly allocated to the intervention or sham groups. Both groups will receive usual care (including routine physiotherapy care) augmented by two daily exercise sessions. The sham group will receive stretching and relaxation exercises while the intervention group will receive tailored strengthening and balance exercises. Differences between groups will be measured at baseline, discharge, and three months. The primary outcome measure will be length of stay. The secondary outcome measures will be healthcare utilisation, activity (accelerometry), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery), falls history in hospital and quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L).DiscussionThis simple intervention has the potential to transform the outcomes of the older patient in the acute setting.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02463864, registered 26.05.2015.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© McCullagh et al. 2016