Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Apr 8:16:79.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-016-0252-z.

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

Ruth McCullagh  1 , Eimear O'Connell  2 , Sarah O'Meara  3 , Ivan Perry  4 , Anthony Fitzgerald  4 , Kieran O'Connor  5 , N Frances Horgan  6 , Suzanne Timmons  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

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

Ruth McCullagh et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: Older 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 & methods: Two 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).

Discussion: This simple intervention has the potential to transform the outcomes of the older patient in the acute setting.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02463864 , registered 26.05.2015.

Keywords: Exercise; Frail; Inpatients; Length of stay; Medical; Physiotherapy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart with details of the study design and flow of participants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. CSO: Census 2011 Profile 2 - Older and Younger. In: Central Statistics Office Census 2011 Reports. http://www.cso.ie/en/census/census2011reports/census2011profile2-olderan.... Accessed 6 March 2016.
    1. McGill P: Illustrating Ageing in Ireland North and South: Key Facts and Figures. Belfast: Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland. 2010
    1. ESRI: Activity in Acute Public Hospitals in Ireland, Annual Report, 2012. https://www.esri.ie/news/activity-in-acute-public-hospitals-in-ireland-2.... Accessed 6 Mar 2016
    1. Covinsky KE, Palmer RM, Fortinsky RH, Counsell SR, Stewart AL, Kresevic D, Burant CJ, Landefeld CS. Loss of independence in activities of daily living in older adults hospitalized with medical illnesses: increased vulnerability with age. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003;51(4):451–458. doi: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51152.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fried LP, Tangen CM, Walston J, Newman AB, Hirsch C, Gottdiener J, Seeman T, Tracy R, Kop WJ, Burke G, et al. Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56:M146–156. doi: 10.1093/gerona/56.3.M146. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data

LinkOut - more resources