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.

Details

Title
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
Author
McCullagh, Ruth; OConnell, Eimear; OMeara, Sarah; Perry, Ivan; Fitzgerald, Anthony; OConnor, Kieran; Horgan, N Frances; Timmons, Suzanne
Publication year
2016
Publication date
2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
e-ISSN
14712318
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1797591141
Copyright
Copyright BioMed Central 2016