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Impact of Physical Exercise on Hospitalized Older Adults Malnourished or at Risk, With Oral Nutritional Support

The Effect of Physical Exercise on the Physical Function of Hospitalized Older Adults Malnourished or at Risk of Malnourishment With Oral Nutritional Supplementation

Status
Recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07067697
Acronym
NUTPHYS
Enrollment
102
Registered
2025-07-16
Start date
2025-07-14
Completion date
2026-07-31
Last updated
2025-09-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hospitalized, Older Adults, Oral Nutritional Supplementation, Physical Exercise

Keywords

hospital-acquired disability, older adults, physical exercise, oral nutritional supplementation

Brief summary

The aim of this research is to analyze whether nutritional intervention combined with a multicomponent physical training program based on strength, balance, and aerobic exercises can prevent disability caused during hospitalization in individuals aged 75 years or older admitted for medical conditions, thereby improving functional and cognitive capacity. To achieve this objective, we will conduct a randomized clinical trial in which patients are randomly assigned to either the control group, which does not perform the physical training, or the intervention group, which participates in the multicomponent physical training program.

Detailed description

The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the differences in the impact of an intervention based solely on physical exercise on the functionality of hospitalized older patients, in an Acute Geriatric Unit, who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. As secondary objectives: 1. To assess and compare changes in body composition following the intervention during hospitalization. 2. To evaluate and compare dietary intake, appetite progression, and food consumption throughout the intervention period. 3. To compare in-hospital infectious complications between the two groups. 4. To describe and compare changes in nutritional biochemical parameters between groups after the intervention and 30 days post-discharge. 5. To study changes in other physical function measures throughout the study period and compare them. 6. To describe the presence of molecular markers related to senescence and sarcopenia in patients and compare them between groups at discharge. 7. To study and compare changes in participants' cognitive status. 8. To evaluate and compare changes in perceived quality of life. 9. To assess and compare changes in maximal dynamic strength before and after the intervention. 10. To describe and compare hospital stays and 30-day readmission rates of study participants. 11. To describe participants' personal satisfaction with the intervention. 12. To describe the presence of potential side effects attributed to the intervention during the study period.

Interventions

OTHERPhysical exercise

Progressive, supervised multicomponent physical exercise program, including aerobic resistance, strength, and balance training. Strength training for lower limbs (leg press and knee extension) and upper limbs (seated chest press) will be adapted to each individual's functional capacity.

OTHERUsual Care

* Hospital physiotherapy for preventing nosocomial disability when necessary. * Hospital diet modifications appropriate to each participant's clinical situation. * Oral nutritional supplementation aimed at meeting daily nutritional requirements: 30 kcal/kg body weight, 1.5-2 g protein/kg body weight, 25 g daily fiber. * Approximate free water intake: women 1.5 L/day, men 2 L/day (unless clinically restricted).

Sponsors

Nestle Health Science
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
Fundacion Miguel Servet
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
75 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Aged 75 years or above * Hospitalized in the Acute Unit of the Geriatrics Service at the University Hospital of Navarra * 4 days or more of expected hospitalization * Malnourished according to the GLIM criteria or at risk of malnourishment (MUST scale) * Barthel Index ≥ 60 points * Capable of tolerating oral intake * Able to walk (with or without assistance) * Able to understand instructions and communicate * Consent to participate in the study after being informed of its objectives and who sign the informed consent (the participant or their legal guardian in case of disability).

Exclusion criteria

* Advanced major neurocognitive disorder (GDS 6 and 7) * Uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, acute pulmonary thromboembolism, acute myocardial infarction, or bone fractures within the last 3 months * Chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5 * Safe and effective swallowing only with pudding texture * Inability to participate in the physical exercise program due to physical limitations * Participate in another study that may interfere with data interpretation or have participated in another study in six months prior to their entry into the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
FunctionThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysSPPB - Short Physical Performance Battery

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Dietary intakeThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysSemi-quantitative questionnaire and a daily appetite assessment
Number and type of infectious complicationsThrough study completion, an average of 4 days
Nutritional status biomarkersThrough study completion, an average of 4 days, and 30 days post-dischargeIn blood: proteins, prealbumin, albumin, transferrin, lymphocytes, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, C-reactive protein.
Functional statusThrough study completion, an average of 4 days, and 30 days post-dischargeBarthel Index, Lawton Index
Frailty statusBaselineLinda Fried's Frailty Scale, from 0 to 5 (0 robust; 1,2 pre-frail; 3 to 5 frail).
Anthropometrical MeasurementsThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysBioimpedance: PHASE ANGLE (PhA), Fat-Free Mass (FFM) and Muscle Mass (MM). Conventional and vectorial bioelectrical impedance analysis with a single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer at 50 kHz (BIA 101 RJL, Akern Bioresearch, Florence, Italy)
Cognitive statusThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysMini-Mental State Examination, 4AT
Affective statusThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysYesavage's 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
Quality of life of participantsThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysEuroQoL-5D-3L
Adverse effects possibly attributed to the interventionThrough study completion, an average of 4 days
Strength of upper and lower limbsThrough study completion, an average of 4 daysLeg press, chest press, knee extension, and handgrip strength

Countries

Spain

Contacts

Primary ContactChenhui Chen, Doctor
chenhuichen253@gmail.com+34 664426191
Backup ContactNicolás Martínez Velilla, Doctor, MD, PhD
nicolas.martinez.velilla@navarra.es00 34 848422222

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026