Multicomponent Intervention on Improving the Cognitive Ability of Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

This pilot randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility and potential outcomes of an innovative 16-session multicomponent intervention model to improve cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by promoting healthy lifestyle, cognitive skills, tai chi and mindfulness practices. This study was a multicentre, randomized controlled, two-arm, parallel-group, unblinded trial in Hong Kong. 57 Chinese older adults with MCI recruited from three local elderly centers were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group. The study results support the feasibility and efficacy of the multicomponent intervention, and recommend future larger-scale randomized control trials.

Randomized trial of a patient empowerment and cognitive training program for older people with diabetes mellitus and cognitive impairment.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined patient empowerment program (PEP) and cognitive training (CT) program on improving glycemic control among older subjects with diabetes and cognitive impairment. METHODS: A prospective single blinded, randomized controlled study was carried out in 139 older patients with diabetes aged ≥65 years with memory complaints and recent glycosylated hemoglobin level of 7-9%. They were randomly assigned to either undergo once-weekly PEP combined with CT for 10 weeks (intervention group, N = 73) or receive no intervention (control group, N = 66). All participants were followed up at months 4 and 12 to examine the immediate and long-term effects on glycemic control, cognition, mood and compliance to drug and diabetes self-management. RESULTS: The intervention did not significantly reduce glycosylated hemoglobin. The intervention group showed significant progressive improvement in memory over 1 year and executive function improved significantly at month 12. There was no significant change in diabetes self-management activities with the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of PEP and CT did not improve glycemic control or self-care activities in older patients with diabetes and memory complaints but was effective in improving cognitive function in the longer term. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 1164-1170.

A herbal formula for prevention of influenza-like syndrome: a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of a herbal formula in the prevention of influenza or influenza-like syndrome among elderies residing in old-people's home in Hong Kong. The secondary objectives are to investigate the quality of life (QOL) and symptomology changes among the herbal users and to evaluate the safety of this formula. METHODS: In ten old people's home or community centres in New Territories, Hong Kong, 740 eligible subjects agreed to join the study and were randomized to receive a herbal formula or a placebo on alternate days over 8 weeks. Among those 740 participants, 113 had provided blood samples for immunological assessments before and after the study drug. Assessments were done at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Participants were instructed to keep a daily record of body temperature and any symptoms as sore throat, myalgia, running nose or cough, and to report to assessor accordingly. Those reporting body temperature of 37.8 °C and above would be visited and a proper nasopharyngeal swab be taken for viral study. RESULTS: Seventy-two participants developed influenza-like-symptoms but none of them was proven influenza in their nasopharyngeal swabs, 40 of these patients belonged to the herbal group and 32 to the placebo group, without significant differences between groups. The difference on the changes in QOL between the two groups was not statistically significant. However, in the immunological study, the natural killer cell absolute count was significantly increased in the herbal group compared with the placebo group (463 ± 253 vs 413 ± 198, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The herbal preparation was not effective compared with placebo in the prevention of influenza-like syndrome. It was however safe and possibly supporting immunological responses.