A Randomised Controlled Trial of Home-based Exercise Intervention for Caregivers of Persons With Dementia

May 5, 2016 updated by: Dr. Chan Wai Chi, The University of Hong Kong
The study aims to compare the efficacy of a home-based structured exercise programme (12-step sitting Tai Chi) involving both persons with dementia and their caregivers with a standard non-exercise social contact control in treating depression among caregivers. The effects of exercise on their cognition, quality of life and balance ability are also assessed. We will also examine if BDNF polymorphisms modulate mood changes in response to exercise intervention. Focus groups will be organised at the end to find out the facilitators and barriers in taking up exercise. The findings may offer an avenue of intervention by providing a low cost, relatively safe and effective treatment for dementia caregivers, which may in turn benefit the persons with dementia.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The proposed study is a single-blind randomised controlled trial for two years. We will compare the efficacy of a home-based structured exercise programme (12-step sitting Tai Chi) for both carers and care recipients with a standard non-exercise social contact control in the treatment of depression among caregivers of persons with dementia. The study hypotheses include:

  1. The structured home-based exercise programme will reduce caregiver depression. (Primary outcome)
  2. The home-based exercise will improve caregivers' cognitive performance, quality of life and balance ability at the end of the study. (Secondary outcome)
  3. The home-based exercise will improve the cognitive performance, quality of life and balance ability of persons with dementia at the end of the study. (Secondary outcome)
  4. We also hypothesise that BDNF gene modulates mood changes in response to exercise intervention. (Secondary outcome)

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

272

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • China
      • Hong Kong, China
        • Recruiting
        • Hong Kong East Cluster, Hospital Authority
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kong Hing Leung
      • Hong Kong, China
        • Recruiting
        • Hong Kong West Cluster, Hospital Authority
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Wai Chi Chan
      • Hong Kong, China
        • Recruiting
        • Kowloon West Cluster, Hospital Authority
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Karen Wat
      • Hong Kong, China
        • Recruiting
        • New Territories East Cluster, Hospital Authority
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Linda Lam
      • Hong Kong, China
        • Completed
        • New Territories West Cluster, Hospital Authority

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Caregivers

  • 18 years of age and above
  • Live with persons with dementia
  • 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) >0 and <8
  • No regular (i.e. ≥ 3 times/week) Tai Chi practice or other forms of mind-body exercise (e.g. yoga, qigong, mindfulness training) in the past six months
  • Understand Chinese
  • If they are on an antidepressant, they will not be included in the study unless they have been receiving pharmacological treatment on a steady dose for three months

Care recipient

  • Aged 60 years or above
  • Dementia diagnosis confirmed by a physician
  • Dependence in at least one Activities of daily living(ADL)
  • Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) > 10
  • No regular (i.e. ≥ 3 times/week) Tai Chi practice or other forms of mind-body exercise (e.g. yoga, qigong, mindfulness training) in the past six months

Exclusion Criteria:

Caregivers

  • Presence of psychotic symptoms, imminently suicidal, unstable medical conditions (e.g. recent heart attack, recent stroke, episodes of dizziness, fainting attacks) or significant orthopaedic problems rendering participants unsuitable for physical training
  • Carers who are found to have mental conditions that warrants psychiatric assessment and/or treatment (e.g. GDS >8, i.e. local cut-off score for significant depressive symptoms, or suicidal) will be referred to appropriate units for follow up

Care recipient

  • Presence of psychotic symptoms, unstable medical conditions (e.g. recent heart attack, recent stroke, episodes of dizziness, fainting attacks) or significant orthopaedic problems rendering participants unsuitable for physical training

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: 12-step sitting Tai Chi Chuan
The intervention is a simplified Tai Chi Chuan exercise, which consists of 12 steps, including weight shifting in different sitting positions, trunk and upper limb movements, and alternate thigh lift in a smooth and coordinated manner.
Other: 12-step sitting Tai Chi Chuan
The intervention consists of eight home-based sessions on 12-step sitting Tai Chi Chuan. Each session will last for an hour.
Placebo Comparator: Control
We provide participants in the control group with a level of social contact equivalent to the intervention group, which comprises structured conversations on topic other than physical activity.
Other: Control
The control consists of eight home-based sessions on useful health-care information. Each session will last for an hour.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression in caregivers
Time Frame: Week 12
The proportion of participants who are classified as responders by Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17). HAM-D-17 is a widely used and reliable measure of depressive symptoms. The scores range from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating greater depression severity. Response to intervention is defined as a reduction of HAM-D-17 total score by ≥50% from baseline to endpoint.
Week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale in caregivers and care recipients
Time Frame: Week 12
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
Week 12
Mini Mental State Examination in caregivers and care recipients
Time Frame: Week 12
Global cognitive function will be measured by Mini Mental State examination (MMSE)
Week 12
Quality of life in caregivers and care recipients
Time Frame: Week 12
SF-12 Health Survey (SF-12)
Week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

The University of Hong Kong

Collaborators

Chinese University of Hong Kong
Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong
University of Melbourne
National Ageing Research Institute, Australia

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Wai Chi Chan, The University of Hong Kong

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

May 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

September 1, 2016

Study Completion (Anticipated)

March 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 28, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 3, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

May 6, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 6, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 5, 2016

Last Verified

May 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 11121441

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Depression

Clinical Trials on 12-step sitting Tai Chi Chuan

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Uganda

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe