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
. 2023 Dec;294(6):730-742.
doi: 10.1111/joim.13710. Epub 2023 Aug 21.

Sustained improvement of intrinsic capacity in community-dwelling older adults: The +AGIL Barcelona multidomain program

Maria Cristina Ferrara  1 , Laura Mónica Pérez  2 , Aida Ribera Sole  2   3 , Lorena Villa-García  2   4   5   6 , Joan Ars  2   3   4   7 , Luis Soto-Bagaria  2 , Giuseppe Bellelli  1   8 , Matteo Cesari  9 , María Belén Enfedaque  10 , Marco Inzitari  2   4   11
Affiliations
Free article

Sustained improvement of intrinsic capacity in community-dwelling older adults: The +AGIL Barcelona multidomain program

Maria Cristina Ferrara et al. J Intern Med. 2023 Dec.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Different programs promote healthy ageing through the optimization of intrinsic capacity. However, a major challenge is to assess their sustained effects over time. +AGIL Barcelona, a consolidated multidomain program, aims to optimize older adults' intrinsic capacity through a coordinated approach among primary care, geriatrics and community resources, in agreement with the integrated care for older people (ICOPE) guidelines. We aimed to evaluate the +AGIL Barcelona longitudinal effect on older adults' physical performance.

Methods: All +AGIL Barcelona consecutive participants since 2016 were enrolled. After a comprehensive geriatric assessment, a tailored, multidisciplinary intervention aligned with the ICOPE guidelines is offered. It includes a 10-week boost multicomponent exercise program, nutritional and sleep-hygiene counselling, revision and optimization of pharmacological treatments and screening for cognitive impairment, depression and loneliness. Changes in physical performance after 3 and 6 months were assessed using mixed models including baseline frailty degree, time and all potential significant confounders.

Results: We included 194 participants in the analysis (mean age = 81.6 [standard deviation = 5.8], 68% women). An independent, clinically and statistically significant improvement in physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB] test, combining gait speed, strength and balance) was found at 3 months (SPPB mean change: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.6) and 6 months (SPPB mean change: 1.1; 95% CI 0.8-1.5). Equivalent results were observed for all the SPPB sub-tests.

Conclusions: A coordinated, multidisciplinary and integrated program can benefit older adults' intrinsic capacity. The participants' empowerment and the connection with the available community resources are critical points for a successful intervention.

Keywords: frailty; healthy ageing; integrated care; multidimensional; physical performance.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. World Health Organization (WHO). World report on ageing and health. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2015. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/186463 (accessed April 2, 2019).
    1. World Health Organization (WHO). Integrated care for older people: guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity. Geneva: WHO; 2017. http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/258981 (accessed April 2, 2019).
    1. WHO Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing. Report of consortium meeting 1-2 December 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland (WHO/FWC/ALC/17.2). Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017.
    1. Belloni G, Cesari M. Frailty and intrinsic capacity: two distinct but related constructs. Front Med (Lausanne). 2019;6:133. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2019.00133.
    1. Thillainadesan J, Scott IA, Le Couteur DG. Frailty, a multisystem ageing syndrome. Age Ageing. 2020;49(5):758-63. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa112.

Publication types