title: A study protocol of a randomised controlled trial to measure the effects of an augmented prescribed exercise programme (APEP) for frail older medical patients in the acute setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Older adults experience functional decline in hospital leading to increased healthcare burden and morbidity. The benefits of augmented exercise in hospital remain uncertain. The aim of this trial is to measure the short and longer-term effects of augmented exercise for older medical in-patients on their physical performance, quality of life and health care utilisation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty older medical patients will be blindly randomly allocated to the intervention or sham groups. Both groups will receive usual care (including routine physiotherapy care) augmented by two daily exercise sessions. The sham group will receive stretching and relaxation exercises while the intervention group will receive tailored strengthening and balance exercises. Differences between groups will be measured at baseline, discharge, and three months. The primary outcome measure will be length of stay. The secondary outcome measures will be healthcare utilisation, activity (accelerometry), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery), falls history in hospital and quality of life (EQ-5D-5 L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This simple intervention has the potential to transform the outcomes of the older patient in the acute setting.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02463864 , registered 26.05.2015.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Gerontology & Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. r.mccullagh@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCullagh
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Eimear
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Facility, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Meara
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kieran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: N Frances
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Horgan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Gerontology & Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Timmons
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055656:Prescriptions; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: Exercise; Frail; Inpatients; Length of stay; Medical; Physiotherapy