Sarcopenia and Combined-modality Exercise

The University of The West Indies

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Sarcopenia

Treatments: Other: Usual care home exercise; Other: High intensity exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04806152

UWIJAMSarc

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study examined the effects of combined-modality exercise training (resistance, endurance, flexibility and balance) on muscle mass, muscle function and physical activity in community-dwelling elderly living in Jamaica who had been characterised as having sarcopenia.

Full description

Community-dwelling seniors aged 60 years and older were screened for muscle mass and function (grip strength and walk speed) and persons with sarcopenia were identified using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Persons (EWGSOP) algorithm for case finding (N=1344). Of the 77 seniors with sarcopenia, 38 consented to participate and were randomly allocated to receive 6 months combined-modality high intensity treadmill based exercise and a 'usual care' home exercise programme. A comparison of the effects of treatment assignment on muscle mass, function, fitness, physical activity level and disability was done. Participants in the supervised combined-modality high intensity group were required to attend sessions 3 times per week; participants in the home exercise programme were required to attend 1 supervised session at the start of their 6-month intervention. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at the end of the 6-month intervention. Data were analysed using standard statistical parametric and non-parametric methods including repeated measures analysis of variance to determine changes in outcomes and regression to establish determinants of outcomes.

Enrollment: 38 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• over 60 years old,
• independently ambulant, with or without an assistive device
• mentally competent to give informed consent and follow exercise instructions

Exclusion criteria

• a history of stroke with residual disability
• a diagnosis of cancer
• neuromuscular disorders
• auto-immune disorders
• dementia
• severe arthritis rendering participation in an exercise programme difficult
• unstable cardiovascular disease which renders exercise unsafe

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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38 participants in 2 patient groups

Sarcopenia and combined-modality high intensity supervised exercise training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants were given Treadmill exercise training, lower extremity progressive resistance training using a Cybex leg press machine, and a 1-hour adaptive physical activity (APA) programme in which participants were required to walk for 12 minutes through an obstacle course in which they must clear 10 cm high boards, climb 3 steps and walk sideways through hula-hoops placed on the floor all the while dual-tasking i.e. waving at strategically placed signs, conversing while walking and picking up objects. Participants also performed exercises at the parallel bars which included weight-shifting from leg to leg and half-squatting; they were also guided through seated upper- and lower-limb stretching exercises for range of motion and trunk mobility. All exercise sessions were supervised by physiotherapists. For two of the weekdays on which participants did not attend supervised training, they were asked to walk for 30 minutes at home and perform the APA exercises described above.

Treatment:

Other: High intensity exercise

Sarcopenia and 'usual care' unsupervised exercise

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants were required to do 5-12 chair rises and also 30-minutes walking 5 days per week. Upper limb and trunk flexibility exercises were also taught.

Treatment:

Other: Usual care home exercise