Background: In elderly subjects frailty and malnutrition are very common and can lead to serious health hazards, increase mortality, morbidity, dependency, institutionalization and a reduced quality of life. In Austria, the prevalence of frailty and malnutrition are increasing steadily and are becoming a challenge for our social system. Physical training and adequate nutrition can invert it. Methods/Design: In this randomized, controlled trial 80 malnourished, frail, community-dwelling patients (≥ 65 years) are recruited. Additionally, 80 lay volunteers (≥ 50 years) named buddies are recruited and subsequently trained regarding health enhancing physical activity and nutrition in three standardized training sessions. These buddies visit the malnourished, frail subjects at home twice a week for about one hour during an initial period of 10-12 weeks. While participants allocated to the intervention group (n=40) conduct intervention to improve their fluid intake, their protein and energy intake, perform strength training and try to increase their baseline activities, the control group (n=40) only gets home visits without any special intervention. After 10-12 weeks, both, the intervention and the control group, receive the nutrition intervention and the physical training. Health, nutrition and frailty status, physical fitness and body composition and chronic inflammation of buddies and frails are recorded before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks, and after 6 and 12 months. Discussion: To the investigators knowledge this trial is the first of its kind to provide nutrition and physical activity intervention to malnourished, frail, community-dwelling subjects by trained lay buddies, in which the health status of buddies is also expected to improve. This study assesses the effectiveness of such an intervention. If successful, the intervention offers new perspectives for the management of frailty and malnutrition.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
80
Buddies visit malnourished, frail, elderly subjects twice a week for approximately one hour and they perform nutritional and physical activity interventions.
Institute of Social Medicine, Centre for Public Health
Vienna, Austria
Changes from baseline in handgrip at 10-12 weeks and at 6 and 12 months
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 and 12 months
Change from baseline in nutritional status at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Risk for malnutrition is assessed by the long form of the mini nutritional assessment (MNA).
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Change from baseline is frailty status at 10-12 weeks and at 6 and 12 months
For the assessment of frailty the SHARE-FI as used in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe will be applied.
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10 -12 weeks and after 6 and 12 months
Change from baseline in quality of life at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Quality of life is assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF and by 3 dimensions of the WHOQOL-OLD ("sensory functions", "autonomy", "activities in the past, present and future".
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in social support at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
The social support is assessed by the Fragebogen zur sozialen Unterstützung (FSozU K-14).
Time frame: before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in sings of malnutrition and frailty at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Laboratory parameters (albumin, total cholesterol, transferrin, triglyceride, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, folic acid, CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and leucocytes)
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks, and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in cognitiv function at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Cognitiv function is assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in muscle strength after 10-12 weeks and 6 months
Muscle strength is assessed by the MASS (Measurement of age and sex related reference values of muscle strength) and the Concept dyno 2. The MASS is a new diagnosis system which was developed by the Technical University of Vienna. It evaluates health related concentric dynamic muscle strength. The measurement is velocity-independent and hence, is appropriate for the target group. Three exercises (bench press, bench pull, and leg press) will be conducted in standardized procedure. For all tested muscle groups the following parameters are recorded: maximum resistance with low velocity and 2-3 fix adjusted sub-maximum loads. Moreover, the Concept 2 dyno is used for assessing the muscle strength. The same exercises as before will be conducted in standardized procedure and the results are analyzed according to the reference values
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10 -12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in the amount of physical activity at 10-12 weeks and 6 months
The amount of physical activity is assessed by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and a modified version of the FEG (Fragebogen zur Erfassung des Gesundheitsverhaltens). Moreover each patient receives a pedometer to measure the daily steps.
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in balance and mobility components at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a method for assessing physical performance of older patients.
Time frame: Before the intervenion, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in qualitative and quantitative contents of refrigerator at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Predefined protocol of the refrigerator of the frail individuals will assess the refrigerator contents which will be classified as adequate, inadequate (rotten food or just beyond the date stamped on the label), or empty (less than three different food products)
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in quality of the whole diet at 10-12 week and at 6 months
Changes in the quality of the whole diet is assesseb by Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDIAS), a food frequency questionnaire assessing the protein intake and questions concerning supplements
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Measures of drop-out after 10-12 weeks
Time frame: Afer 10-12 weeks
Measures of adherence after 10 -12 weeks
Time frame: after 10 -12 weeks
Appraisal of the participant after 10-12 weeks
Time frame: after 10-12 weeks
Documentation of any undesirable event during the intervention after 6 months
Time frame: after 6 months
Changes from baseline in frequency of hospitalization at 10-12 weeks and at 6 months
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in frequency of falls at 10-12 weeks and 6 months
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Changes from baseline in fear of fallings at 10-12 week and at 6 months
Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) was developed for the documentation of fall-related self-efficacy in older persons by an EU-funded expert network (Prevention of Falls Network Europe ProFaNE)
Time frame: Before the intervention, after 10-12 weeks and after 6 months
Measures of drop-out after 6 months
Time frame: Afer 6 months
Measures of adherence after 6 months
Time frame: after 6 months
Expectations of the participant before the intervention
Time frame: Before the intervention
Appraisal of the participant after 6 months
Time frame: after 6 months
Documentation of any undesirable event during the intervention after 10-12 weeks
Time frame: after 10 -12 weeks
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