Clinical Research Directory

Effects of VIVIFRAIL Program on Functional Capacity and Geriatric Syndromes in the Elderly.

The aim of this quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Vivifrail multicomponent physical exercise program in improving the functional capacity of pre-frail and frail older adults (aged 70 and older) attending the Virgen del Mar Health Center in Almería. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does functional capacity, as measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), significantly improve after participating in the Vivifrail program? * What is the effect of the Vivifrail program on various geriatric syndromes and associated health conditions (e.g., fall risk, sarcopenia, chronic pain, mild cognitive impairment, depression), and what patient profile is most likely to benefit from the intervention? * As a single-arm interventional study, there is no parallel comparison group. Researchers will compare each participant's outcomes against their own baseline at three time points (baseline, week 6, and week 12) to assess for significant improvements following the intervention. Participants will: * Complete a 12-week home-based, multicomponent physical exercise program (five sessions per week including strength, balance, flexibility, and aerobic endurance training), tailored to their baseline functional level. * Attend three in-person visits at the health center (baseline, a 6-week follow-up, and a final visit at 12 weeks) for the research staff to assess their clinical, functional, and sociodemographic variables. * Complete an Activity Diary to record their home-based sessions and perceived rate of exertion in order to monitor adherence. * Receive biweekly follow-up phone calls from the research team to reinforce motivation, track adherence, and monitor for any potential adverse events (e.g., falls, pain).

Symptoms, Respiratory Dysfunction and Frailty Level in Allergic and Eosonophilic Asthmatics

The aim of this study is to determine the level of respiratory dysfunction, symptoms and frailty in patients with asthma according to different endophenotypes (allergic and eosonophilic asthma). In the light of the data obtained, it is thought that rehabilitation approaches that can be determined according to different endophenotypes in line with the evaluated parameters will guide health professionals working in this field. Hypotheses H0: There is no difference between allergic and eosonophilic asthmatics in terms of pulmonary function, respiratory dysfunction, symptoms, dyspnoea, fatigue, rhinitis, perception of breathlessness in activities of daily living, asthma control, level of frailty or quality of life. H1: There is a difference between individuals with allergic and eosonophilic asthma in terms of pulmonary function, respiratory dysfunction, symptoms, dyspnoea, fatigue, rhinitis, perception of breathlessness in activities of daily living, asthma control, level of frailty or quality of life.

Ischemic Conditioning to Promote Microvascular Resiliency in Frail Individuals

The goal of this clinical trial is to see how small blood vessels respond to the stress of high intensity exercise, and if a safe and simple intervention called ischemic conditioning can protect blood vessels from the stress of exercise. Participants will come in for 3 study visits and get home-based ischemic conditioning. At Study Visit 1, participants will be assessed for their frailty and physical function. Afterwards, they will perform an exercise test. At Study Visit 2, patients will undergo 2 microvascular assessments, perform a high-intensity exercise, then undergo the same 2 microvascular assessments again. Participants will be given a handheld sphygmomanometer and a blood pressure cuff to take home. Depending on which group the participants get randomized into, participants will place the blood pressure cuff around their non-dominant upper arm and inflate to either a low or high pressure for 2 weeks at home. Participants will repeat the same steps in Study Visit 2 for Study Visit 3. In addition, participants will also be assessed for their frailty and physical function.

Impact of Nutritional Management on the Frailty of Patients Waiting for Liver Transplantation (Via the LFI Tool)

Cirrhosis is a major public health issue responsible for about 15000 deaths each year. Liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative treatment for decompensated cirrhosis. Decompensated cirrhotic patients awaiting LT are malnourished, sarcopenic and fragile. The evaluation of the nutritional status of these patients is complex because the anthropometric data that define undernutrition (weight variation, BMI) are often compromised by the presence of edema and ascites related to liver disease. It therefore seems appropriate to focus on the fragility and sarcopenia of the cirrhotic patient as a reflection of the nutritional status. In 2017, the American team of Lai et al. validated a Liver fraily index (LFI) score of frailty specific to cirrhotic patients waiting for LT. The LFI is composed of three simple physical tests (Grip test, chair lift test, and balance tests) performed at the patient's bedside, which results in a quantitative and reproducible frailty score. Frailty while waiting for LT is associated with an increase in mortality on the waiting list, independently of the MELD (Model for End stage Liver disease) score, which is a reflection of liver severity. About half of the patients who are candidates for LT will present an aggravation of their frailty while waiting for LT. To date, no study has reported the results of a nutritional intervention on the evolution of fragility in patients awaiting LT. The objective of our study is to evaluate the impact of a nutritional management and follow-up by a dietitian specialized in hepatology on the fragility of patients waiting for LT. This is a monocentric study, randomized in two parallel groups (an intervention group with nutritional follow-ups by a trained dietitian and a control group with follow-up by the reference hepatologist without specific dietary management by a dietician) in open. All patients enrolled on the LT list with an LFI \> 3.2 (pre-frail and frail state) will be included in the study. It is planned to include 210 patients over a period of 24 months. The LFI will be measured for all patients (control group + intervention group) at 3 and 6 months, as part of their follow-up in the LT center. This study will also make it possible to correlate frailty with other parameters (severity of liver disease, access to LT).

Frailty, Physical Capacity and Lung Function in Postoperative Pulmonary Endarterectomy Patients

The goal of this observational and prospective study is to investigate changes in physical performance, lung function, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength in patients during the postoperative period following pulmonary endarterectomy (PET).

Frailty, Physical Capacity and Lung Function in Postoperative Cardiac Surgery Patients

The goal of this observational and prospective study is to investigate changes in physical performance, lung function, and respiratory and peripheral muscle strength in patients during the postoperative period following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve replacement surgery..

Optimized Recovery After Trauma in Geriatric Patient

Currently, there is evidence that structured care within the healthcare system increases the conditions for good care and better recovery. We want to investigate whether a new care concept (gero-ERAT) that combines two variants of structured care can improve the recovery of elderly patients affected by a physical trauma. Our hope is that the project will reduce the complications, short care times, fewer re-admissions and that more patients can return to regular living, which reduces the suffering for the patient and his relatives. In addition to patient benefit, a successful outcome will also result in reduced costs for healthcare and society as a whole. The concept of care is based on an increased patient participation, which is in line with the values of the Västra Götaland region and the Sahlgrenska university hospital Through the PhD project, four studies will be published. A qualitative interview study to investigate patients' experiences of care and recovery after trauma. After that, a prospective cohort survey of two groups is carried out; conventional care and gero-ERAT. Data will begin to be collected in the control group and when the control group is full geroRATAT will be implemented in the care department and we then collect data in the intervention group. Based on collected data, we will publish two additional studies one with a focus on health economics as well as one focusing on care time and recovery based on age and harvest estimation.

Effect of a Dual-task Intervention Program on Physical and Cognitive Function

Aim: to compare the effects of single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT) training on physical and cognitive function in institutionalized older adults in 1 month. Methods: Participants were assigned randomly into two groups, ST (multicomponent physical exercise) and DT training (multicomponent physical exercise + cognitive tasks). Both groups performed the exercise three times per week for 1 month. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), handgrip strength, Barthel Index and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used to assess physical and cognitive performance, respectively. Variables were measured at the beginning (V1),at the end of the exercise (V2), as well as one month later (V3). Paired Student's t-test and lineal logistic regressions models were used to explore the effect of the exercise interventions.

Prevalence, Determinants and Natural History of Frailty and Pre-frailty in Elderly People

Frailty syndrome (i.e. frailty) is a geriatric syndrome which relies on the reduction of multisystem reserve capacity. Frail people have a lower potential to respond to external stressors and various life incidents as well as they present a weak prognosis particularly in cardiovascular diseases. Yet, frailty is not only a set of physical deficits, but it also concerns psychological and social dimensions of human functioning. Hence, an approach to frailty should be multidimensional because such a concept more adequately reflects a functional degradation in the elderly. Frailty is usually associated with the impaired condition of circulatory system, and therefore, an identification of subclinical cardiovascular abnormalities is paramount in the frailty prevention and treatment. Another potential mechanism which may predispose to frailty is a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This system plays a crucial role in the response to internal or external stressors such as diseases and activities of daily living. An impairment of the autonomic nervous system function may maintain or accelerate the frailty process. In this scientific project, a comprehensive echocardiography will investigate cardiac function with a particular attention to features which typically change with age, like flow parameters and chambers sizes. The activity of the autonomic nervous system will be explored with the analysis of heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory signals. The study participants will also undergo routine medical examination and a number of additional tests, including: assessment of cognitive function, psychological condition, nutrition status, activities of daily living, and risk of falls. The study group will comprise community dwelling elderly individuals over the age of 65 years who get around by themselves. After 2 years, the participants will be re-examined for their frailty and independence status, as well as their survival will be checked with the National Health Found electronic system. The aim of this project is to seek for factors determining frailty and to explore the frailty impact on the elderly people survival. Particular attention will be paid to the multidimensional frailty which is a new concept of the functional decline in the elderly. In addition, the prevalence of different modes of frailty in Polish community will be investigated. The results of this research should help to establish preventative and therapeutic strategies against frailty.