Effectiveness of a physical exercise intervention program in improving functional mobility in older adults after hip fracture in later stage rehabilitation: protocol of a randomized clinical trial (REATIVE Study).

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures resulting from falls increase substantially with advancing age and less than half of older hip fracture survivors regain their former levels of mobility. There is increasing evidence that rehabilitation interventions with exercises that goes beyond the sub-acute phase or even in a later stage of care have a positive impact on various functional abilities. The purpose of this study is to determine if exercise program training for people who have suffered a fall-related hip fracture will improve functional mobility when compared with usual care. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors and intention-to-treat analysis will be undertaken. We will recruit 82 older adults, 60 years or over who have suffered a hip fracture due to a fall in the previous 6 to 24 months. Participants randomized to the Intervention Group (IG) will undertake a physical exercise program involving progressive and challenging balance training and neuromuscular and functional training of the lower limbs, conducted at home by physiotherapists, once a week, lasting about one hour, in the first, second and third month after randomization and will be taught to perform exercises at home, twice a week, using a booklet. Visits to monitor and progress the home exercise program will be conducted once a month, from the fourth to the sixth month and each 2 months until the end of the follow up at the 12th month, i.e., a total of 18 sessions. Participants will receive monthly phone calls to encourage exercise adherence. The control group will receive usual care. The primary outcome will be mobility-related disability and participants will be assessed at baseline, and at 3 months, 6 and 12 months. Participants will receive monthly phone calls to ask about falls and exercise adherence. Adverse effects will be monitored. DISCUSSION: This study proposes a home-based exercise program, which may in part overcome some barriers for rehabilitation, such as difficulties with public transportation and lack of a caregiver to accompany older patients to sessions. If a positive effect is observed this program has the potential to be incorporated into the public health system and contribute to building a pathway of care for older people with hip fracture. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02295527 .

Dual visual impairment and contrast sensitivity among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study from the PrevQuedas Brazil trial / Duplo déficit visual e sensibilidade ao contraste em idosos da comunidade: estudo transversal do PrevQuedas Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the importance of improving visual assessment for community-dwelling older adult fallers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with eligible older adults (> 60 years old) living in the community and who suffered at least one fall in the last 12 months from the PrevQuedas Brasil clinical trial. Sociodemographic data, information on previous falls, physical and functional assessment (BOMFAQ and FES-I) were collected. We evaluated impairments in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity using the Snellen E chart and low-contrast visual acuity tests, respectively. Dual visual impairment refers to the presence of both impairments. For statistical analysis we compared the participants in relation to the number of falls (single fallers or recurrent fallers) using Chi-square or Fisher's exact test and the significance level was <0.05 for all analyses. RESULTS: Visual acuity, low contrast sensitivity, and dual visual impairment were associated with recurrent falls (OR 1.85); visual impairment was more prevalent among the oldest old. Approximately 90% of the participants reported using glasses, and 63.80% used multifocal lenses. Dual impairment was identified in 143 (20.30%) participants. In multivariate logistic regression, the predictive variables for recurrent falls were low contrast sensitivity (95%CI 1.15­2.47), dual visual impairment (95%CI 1.16­2.83), and self-perceived fall risk (95%CI 1.16­2.46) which was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International. CONCLUSION: Older adults with dual visual impairment are more likely to suffer recurrent falls. Low contrast sensitivity is crucial for fall risk assessment

OBJETIVO: Este estudo investiga a importância de avaliar a visão de idosos caidores na comunidade. METODOLOGIA: Estudo transversal com idosos elegíveis (> 60 anos) residentes na comunidade e que sofreram pelo menos uma queda nos últimos 12 meses do ensaio clínico PrevQuedas Brasil. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, informações sobre quedas pregressas, exames físicos e funcionais (BOMFAQ e FES-I). Avaliamos os comprometimentos da acuidade visual e da sensibilidade ao contraste por meio da Tabela E de Snellen e testes de acuidade visual de baixo contraste, respectivamente. O duplo déficit visual refere-se à presença de ambas as deficiências. Para análise estatística comparamos os idosos com relação ao número de quedas (caidores únicos ou caidores recorrentes) usando Qui-quadrado ou Teste exato de Fisher e o nível de significância foi <0.05 para todas as análises. RESULTADOS: Baixa acuidade visual, baixa sensibilidade ao contraste e duplo déficit visual foram associados a quedas recorrentes com odds ratio ­ OR 1,85, frequentemente mais prevalente entre os idosos longevos. Cerca de 90,00% dos idosos relataram usar óculos e 63,80% usavam lentes multifocais. O duplo déficit visual foi identificado em 143 (20,30%) participantes. Nos modelos de regressão logística multivariados, verificamos que as variáveis preditoras para queda recorrente foram a baixa sensibilidade ao contraste (intervalo de confiança ­ IC95% 1,15­2,47), duplo déficit (IC95% 1,16­2,83) e a autopercepção do risco de cair (IC95% 1,16­2,46) medido pela Falls Efficacy Scale-International. CONCLUSÃO: Idosos com baixa sensibilidade ao contraste e duplo déficit visual têm maiores chances de sofrerem múltiplas quedas quando comparados com idosos que possuem apenas baixa acuidade visual. Assim, a baixa sensibilidade ao contraste é essencial na avaliação do risco de quedas dos idosos

Perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes amputados de membros inferiores atendidos no Lar Escola São Francisco entre 2006 e 2012 / Epidemiological profile of lower limb amputees patients assisted at the Lar Escola São Francisco between 2006 and 2012

Objetivo: Analisar o perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes amputados de membros inferiores atendidos no Lar Escola São Francisco de 2006 a 2012. Método: A coleta de dados foi realizada de modo retrospectivo com 474 prontuários selecionados para verificar: gênero, idade, etnia, etiologia e nível de amputação, doenças associadas, intervalos de tempo entre a amputação e avaliação inicial e entre a avaliação inicial e a alta, presença de dor fantasma, uso de dispositivo auxiliar para marcha ou locomoção e independência em AVD. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente (porcentagem e média) e foi utilizado o teste do qui-quadrado, com p < 0,05, como teste de diferença de proporção para etnia e etiologia. Resultados: Trezentos e trinta e nove pacientes (72%) eram homens com média de idade de 56,2 anos; os níveis de amputação foram 43% transfemoral e 44% transtibial; a etiologia da amputação foi vascular em 341 pacientes (72%) sendo 73% em caucasianos; hipertensão arterial sistêmica e diabetes melitus foram as doenças associadas mais prevalentes; 267 pacientes (56%) foram protetizados, 100 pacientes (21%) abandonaram o tratamento. Conclusão: A população de amputados atendida no Lar Escola São Francisco no período estudado é composta, em sua maioria, por pacientes do gênero masculino, na quinta década da vida, com amputação de origem vascular nos níveis transfemoral e transtibial. Pouco mais da metade é protetizado, o índice de abandono do tratamento é elevado e o intervalo de tempo para reabilitação ainda é longo.

Objective: To analyze the epidemiology of lower limb amputees assisted at the Lar Escola São Francisco, between 2006 and 2012. Method: Samples were collected from medical records and found gender, age, ethnicity, etiology, amputation level, diseases, amputation and time between initial assessment, therapy time before and after fitting, time between baseline and discharge, use of assistive device and ADL. Data were analyzed descriptively and statistically and variables were presented by percentage and average. Results: 72% of the sample were male with a mean age of 56.2 years; 44% transfemoral and 43% transtibial; 72% of vascular origin with 73% caucasian. Conclusion: The population of amputees assisted at the Lar Escola São Francisco is composed mostly of male patients, between 50-60 years, with transfemural and transtibial vascular amputations. More than a half was fitted with a prosthesis, disregard index is high and time to rehabilitation is lengthy.