García Hermoso, AntonioRamírez Vélez, RobinsonLópez Sáez de Asteasu, MikelMartínez Velilla, NicolásZambom Ferraresi, FabrícioValenzuela, Pedro L.Lucía, AlejandroIzquierdo Redín, Mikel2025-03-112025-03-112020-02-04García-Hermoso, A., Ramirez-Vélez, R., Sáez de Asteasu, M. L., Martínez-Velilla, N., Zambom-Ferraresi, F., Valenzuela, P. L., Lucia, A., Izquierdo, M. (2020). Safety and effectiveness of long-term exercise interventions in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sports Medicine, 50, 1095-1106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01259-y.0112-164210.1007/s40279-020-01259-yhttps://academica-e.unavarra.es/handle/2454/53705Background Physical exercise is benefcial to reduce the risk of several conditions associated with advanced age, but to our knowledge, no previous study has examined the association of long-term exercise interventions (≥1 year) with the occurrence of dropouts due to health issues and mortality, or the efectiveness of physical exercise versus usual primary care interventions on health-related outcomes in older adults (≥ 65 years old). Objective To analyze the safety and efectiveness of long-term exercise interventions in older adults. Methods We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis examining the association of long-term exercise interventions (≥1 year) with dropouts from the corresponding study due to health issues and mortality (primary endpoint), and the efects of these interventions on health-related outcomes (falls and fall-associated injuries, fractures, physical function, quality of life, and cognition) (secondary endpoints). Results Ninety-three RCTs and six secondary studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analyses (n=28,523 participants, mean age 74.2 years). No diferences were found between the exercise and control groups for the risk of dropouts due to health issues (RR=1.05, 95% CI 0.95–1.17) or mortality (RR=0.93, 95% CI 0.83–1.04), although a lower mortality risk was observed in the former group when separately analyzing clinical populations (RR=0.67, 95% CI 0.48–0.95). Exercise signifcantly reduced the number of falls and fall-associated injuries, and improved physical function and cognition. These results seemed independent of participants’ baseline characteristics (age, physical function, and cognitive status) and exercise frequency. Conclusions Long-term exercise training does not overall infuence the risk of dropouts due to health issues or mortality in older adults, and results in a reduced mortality risk in clinical populations. Moreover, exercise reduces the number of falls and fall-associated injuries, and improves physical function and cognition in this population.application/pdfeng© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020Physical exerciseLong-term exercise interventionsOlder adultsDropoutsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article2025-03-11info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess