Open Access
Effects of Vivifrail multicomponent intervention on functional capacity: a multicentre, randomized controlled trial
(Wiley Open Access, 2022) Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Sáez de Asteasu, Mikel L.; Antón Rodrigo, Iván; Sánchez Sánchez, Juan Luis; Montero Odasso, Manuel; Marín Epelde, Itxaso; Ramón Espinoza, Fernanda; Zambom Ferraresi, Fabrício; Petidier Torregrosa, Roberto; Elexpuru Estomba, Jaione; Álvarez Bustos, Alejandro; Galbete Jiménez, Arkaitz; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Background: physical exercise is an effective strategy for preserving functional capacity and improving the symptoms of frailty in older adults. In addition to functional gains, exercise is considered to be a cornerstone for enhancing cognitive function in frail older adults with cognitive impairment and dementia. We assessed the effects of the Vivifrail exercise intervention for functional capacity, cognition, and well-being status in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: in a multicentre randomized controlled trial conducted in three tertiary hospitals in Spain, a total of 188 older patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia (aged >75 years) were randomly assigned to an exercise intervention (n = 88) or a usual-care, control (n = 100) group. The intervention was based on the Vivifrail tailored multicomponent exercise programme, which included resistance, balance, flexibility (3 days/week), and gait-retraining exercises (5 days/week) and was performed for three consecutive months (http://vivifrail.com). The usual-care group received habitual outpatient care. The main endpoint was change in functional capacity from baseline to 1 and 3 months, assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Secondary endpoints were changes in cognitive function and handgrip strength after 1 and 3 months, and well-being status, falls, hospital admission rate, visits to the emergency department, and mortality after 3 months. Results: the Vivifrail exercise programme provided significant benefits in functional capacity over usual-care. The mean adherence to the exercise sessions was 79% in the first month and 68% in the following 2 months. The intervention group showed a mean increase (over the control group) of 0.86 points on the SPPB scale (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32, 1.41 points; P < 0.01) after 1 month of intervention and 1.40 points (95% CI 0.82, 1.98 points; P < 0.001) after 3 months. Participants in the usual-care group showed no significant benefit in functional capacity (mean change of −0.17 points [95% CI −0.54, 0.19 points] after 1 month and −0.33 points [95% CI −0.70, 0.04 points] after 3 months), whereas the exercise intervention reversed this trend (0.69 points [95% CI 0.29, 1.09 points] after 1 month and 1.07 points [95% CI 0.63, 1.51 points] after 3 months). Exercise group also obtained significant benefits in cognitive function, muscle function, and depression after 3 months over control group (P < 0.05). No between-group differences were obtained in other secondary endpoints (P > 0.05). Conclusions: the Vivifrail exercise training programme is an effective and safe therapy for improving functional capacity in community-dwelling frail/prefrail older patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia and also seems to have beneficial effect on cognition, muscle function, and mood status.
Open Access
Comment on 'Effects of Vivifrail multicomponent intervention on functional capacity' by Casas-Herrero et al.-The authors reply.
(Wiley, 2024) Sánchez Sánchez, Juan Luis; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; López Sáez de Asteasu, Mikel; Antón Rodrigo, Iván; Galbete Jiménez, Arkaitz; Álvarez Bustos, Alejandro; Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Estadística, Informática y Matemáticas; Estatistika, Informatika eta Matematika; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
In this response letter, we would like to clarify some aspects related to the methodology and inferences derived from our work entitled 'Effects of Vivifrail multicomponent intervention on functional capacity', which was aimed at investigating the effects of a home-based multicomponent individualized exercise programme (Vivifrail) on the functional capacity of frail older adults with mild cognitive impairment/dementia. Yan et al.2 raised concerns related to the amount of data missingness and methods used to handle it in our study. Although we addressed this issue as a limitation of the Discussion section of the original report, we now take the opportunity to further discuss its implications.
Open Access
Inter-individual variability in response to exercise intervention or usual care in hospitalized older adults
(Wiley, 2019) López Sáez de Asteasu, Mikel; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás; Zambom Ferraresi, Fabrício; Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Lusa Cadore, Eduardo; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, 2186/2014
Background: Exercise protocols applied during hospitalization can prevent functional and cognitive decline in older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual response of acutely hospitalized patients to usual care and to physical exercise on functional capacity, muscle strength, and cognitive function and to assess the relationship with mortality at 1 year post-discharge. Methods: In a single-blind randomized clinical trial, 370 hospitalized patients [56.5% women; mean age (standard deviation) 87.3 (4.9) years] were allocated to an exercise intervention group (IG, n = 185) or a control group (CG, n = 185). The participants were older adults aged 75 years or older in an acute care unit in a tertiary public hospital in Navarra, Spain. The usual care group received habitual hospital care, which included physical rehabilitation when needed. The in-hospital intervention included individualized multicomponent exercise training programme performed during 5–7 consecutive days (two sessions/day). Functional capacity was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test and the Gait Velocity Test (GVT). Handgrip strength and cognitive function were also measured at admission and discharge. Patients in both groups were categorized as responders (Rs), non-responders (NRs), and adverse responders (ARs) based on the individual response to each treatment during hospitalization. Results: The prevalence of Rs was higher and the prevalence of NRs and ARs was lower in the intervention group than in the control group for functional capacity (SPPB IG: Rs 85.3%, NRs 8.7%, ARs 6.0% vs. CG: Rs 37.9%, NRs 28.8%, ARs 33.3% and GVT IG: Rs 51.2%, NRs 47.3, ARs 1.6% vs. CG: Rs 18.0%, NRs 67.7%, ARs 14.3%), muscle strength (IG: Rs 62.3%, NRs 26.5%, ARs 11.3% vs. CG: Rs 20.0%, NRs 38.0%, ARs 42.0%), and cognition (IG: Rs 41.5%, NRs 57.1%, ARs 1.4% vs. CG: Rs 13.8%, NRs 76.6%, ARs 9.7%) (all P < 0.001). The ARs for the GVT in the control group and the ARs for the SPPB in the intervention group had a significantly higher rate of mortality than the NRs and Rs in the equivalent groups (0.01 and 0.03, respectively) at follow-up. Conclusions: Older patients performing an individualized exercise intervention presented higher prevalence of Rs and a lower prevalence of NRs and ARs for functional capacity, muscle strength, and cognitive function than those who were treated with usual care during acute hospitalization. An adverse response on functional capacity in older patients to physical exercise or usual care during hospitalization was associated with mortality at 1 year post-discharge.
Open Access
Ejercicio físico como intervención eficaz en el anciano frágil
(Gobierno de Navarra, 2012) Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
El síndrome de la fragilidad define a los ancianos vulnerables que tienen un riesgo elevado de sufrir eventos adversos. Su fisiopatología y etiopatogenia es compleja, pero actualmente disponemos de medidas sencillas de capacidad funcional para su evaluación. La inactividad física, que frecuentemente asocia el envejecimiento, es uno de los factores fundamentales que contribuye a la aparición de sarcopenia, aspecto central de la fragilidad. Los programas de ejercicio físico multicomponente y, particularmente el entrenamiento de la fuerza, constituyen las intervenciones más eficaces para retrasar la discapacidad y otros eventos adversos. Así mismo, han demostrado su utilidad en otros dominios frecuentemente asociados a este síndrome como las caídas, el deterioro cognitivo y la depresión. Sin embargo, es necesario investigar cuáles son los componentes óptimos de un programa de fuerza en el frágil, así como la óptima relación dosis-respuesta que permita desarrollar guías clínicas específicas de actividad física para este grupo poblacional.
Open Access
Effect of a multicomponent exercise program and cognitive stimulation (VIVIFRAIL-COGN) on falls in frail community older persons with high risk of falls: study protocol for a randomized multicenter control trial
(BMC, 2022) Sánchez Sánchez, Juan Luis; Udina, Cristina; Medina Rincón, Almudena; Esbrí Victor, Mariano; Bartolomé Martín, Irene; Moral Cuesta, Débora; Marín Epelde, Itxaso; Ramón Espinoza, Fernanda; Sánchez Latorre, Marina; Idoate, Fernando; Goñi-Sarriés, Adriana; Martínez Martínez, Blanca; Escudero Bonet, Raquel; Librero, Julián; Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: Falls represent important drivers of intrinsic capacity losses, functional limitations and reduced quality of life in the growing older adult’s population, especially among those presenting with frailty. Despite exercise- and cognitive training-based interventions have shown efectiveness for reducing fall rates, evidence around their puta‑ tive cumulative efects on falls and fall-related complications (such as fractures, reduced quality of life and functional limitations) in frail individuals remains scarce. The main aim of this study is to explore the efectiveness program combining an individualized exercise program and an executive function-based cognitive training (VIVIFRAIL-COGN) compared to usual care in the prevention of falls and fall-related outcomes over a 1-year follow-up. Methods: This study is designed as a four-center randomized clinical trial with a 12-week intervention period and an additional 1-year follow-up. Three hundred twenty frail or pre-frail (≥1 criteria of the Frailty Phenotype) older adults (≥75 years) with high risk of falling (defned by fall history and gait performance) will be recruited in the Falls Units of the participating centers. They will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). The IG will participate in a home-based intervention combining the individualized Vivifrail multicomponent (aerobic, resistance, gait and balance and fexibility) exercise program and a personalized executive function-based cognitive training (VIVIFRAIL-COGN). The CG group will receive usual care delivered in the Falls Units, including the Otago Exercise Program. Primary outcome will be the incidence of falls (event rate/year) and will be ascertained by self-report during three visits (at baseline, and 6 and 12 weeks) and telephone-based contacts at 6, 9 and 12 months after randomization. Secondarily, efects on measures of physical and cognitive function, quality of life, nutritional, muscle quality and psychological status will be evaluated. Discussion: This trial will provide new evidence about the efectiveness of an individualized multidomain interven‑ tion by studying the efect of additive efects of cognitive training and physical exercise to prevent falls in older frail persons with high risk of falling. Compared to usual care, the combined intervention is expected to show additive efects in the reduction of the incidence of falls and associated adverse outcomes. Trial registration: NCT04911179 02/06/2021. © 2022, The Author(s).
Open Access
Noncoronary vascular calcification, bone mineral density, and muscle mass in institutionalized frail nonagenarians
(Mary Ann Liebert, 2017-08-01) Idoate, Fernando; Lusa Cadore, Eduardo; Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Zambom Ferraresi, Fabrício; Martínez Velilla, Nicolás; Rodríguez Mañas, Leocadio; Azcárate, Pedro M.; Bottaro, Martim; Ramírez Vélez, Robinson; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
The purpose of this study was to compare the vascular calcification in thoracic aorta (TAC), abdominal aorta (AAC), iliac arteries (IAC), and femoral arteries (FAC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebrae between frail and robust nonagenarians, as well as to verify the associations between vascular calcification with BMD, muscle tissue quality, and quantity in both groups. Forty-two elderly subjects participated in this study: 29 institutionalized frail (92.0 ± 3.2 years) and 13 robust (89.0 ± 4.0 years) elderly participants. All patients underwent nonenhanced helical thoracic, abdominal, and thigh computed tomography. The frail group presented significantly greater FAC as well as less lumbar BMD than the robust group (p < 0.05). In the frail group, significant negative relationships were observed between the individual values of FAC with the individual values of BMD (r = −0.35 to −0.43, p < 0.05) and with the individual values of the quadriceps muscle quantity and quality (r = −0.52, p < 0.01), whereas no significant relationships were observed in the robust group. The robust group presented less vascular calcification and more BMD in the vertebral bodies than the frail group. In the frail group, femoral artery calcification was significantly negatively correlated with BMD, leg muscle quality, and muscle mass volume.
Open Access
Ejercicio físico en el anciano frágil: una manera eficaz de prevenir la dependencia
(Universidad Europea de Madrid, 2014) Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Lusa Cadore, Eduardo; Casas Herrero, Álvaro; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Los beneficios del ejercicio físico en el envejecimiento y, específicamente, en la fragilidad han sido objeto de reciente investigación científica. En el anciano, la práctica de actividad física regular se asocia a una disminución del riesgo de mortalidad, de enfermedades crónicas, institucionalización, deterioro cognitivo y funcional. La práctica de ejercicio físico es la intervención más eficaz para retrasar la discapacidad y los eventos adversos que asocia habitualmente el síndrome de la fragilidad. De manera más concreta, el tipo de ejercicio físico más beneficioso en el anciano frágil es el denominado “entrenamiento multicomponente”. Este tipo de programas combina entrenamiento de fuerza, resistencia, equilibrio y marcha, y es con el que más mejorías se ha demostrado en la capacidad funcional, que es un elemento fundamental para el mantenimiento de la independencia en las actividades básicas de la vida diaria (ABVD) de los ancianos. Los objetivos deberían centrarse, por tanto, en mejorar dicha capacidad funcional a través de mejorías en el equilibrio y la marcha, así como mediante la disminución del riesgo y del número de caídas. Para la obtención de estos objetivos, el diseño de un programa de ejercicio físico en el anciano frágil debe acompañarse necesariamente de recomendaciones sobre variables tales como la intensidad, la potencia, el volumen y la frecuencia de entrenamiento ideales en esta población.