Sarcopenia in Older Patients in the Acute Hospital Setting

Overview

This study will assess whether the use of technology using the Virtual Gate Device (VGD) will prevent or minimize the development of hospital acquired Sarcopenia resulting from Immobilization.

Modern advances in prevention, medical care, and treatments have resulted in an ever-increasing life expectancy and aging of the population. As a result, it is imperative that health care professionals and policy makers develop strategies and new technologies that enable older people to enjoy their advancing years in good health. Sarcopenia, an age-related decrease in muscle mass, is a major factor in functional decline and frailty and leads to poor quality of life and increased health care costs in older age groups. Because sarcopenia is known to be exacerbated at the time of acute hospital admission, the development of new technologies for the prevention and diagnosis of sarcopenia will have important ramifications in promoting healthy aging in both the acute care and ambulatory settings. A pilot interventional self-controlled study will be performed in an internal medicine department (internal medicine ward Het) at the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa. Subjects will be evaluated for the risk of sarcopenia by acceptable screening instruments as well as B-mode portable ultrasound. They will then be treated using a stocking-like Virtual Gait Device (VGD) which will be applied to one randomly-assigned lower limb. The VGD is a technology that uses fussy-logic technology to stimulate calf muscles in synchrony with the patient's heartbeat, enabling a virtual gait in patients who have limited mobility. Confidentiality will be achieved by applying a unique identifier to each trial subject in accordance with Good Clinical Practice standards.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Central Contacts