Effects of Multicomponent Physical Exercise Program and Mediterranean Diet in Alzheimer's Disease

Short and Medium-term Effects of a Multicomponent Physical Exercise Program With a Mediterranean Diet on Bone Mineral Density, Gait, Balance, and Fall Risk for Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Study Protocol

This study is a randomized, parallel-group, single blinded controlled clinical trial. The general objective of this multicomponent physical exercise program (MPEP) associated with a Mediterranean Diet (MeDi) is to decrease the risk of falls and fractures through the improvement of the bone health and physical functions of people with Alzheimer Disease.

Patients allocated to the intervention group will perform a MPEP with a MeDi during 6 months, with a frequency of 3 sessions per week, and approximately 45-50 minutes of duration each session.

During the study, 4 evaluations will be carried out to assess the effects of the interventions on bone mineral density, gait, balance, and fall risk: ((1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention after 1 month; 3) 2nd post-intervention after 3 months; 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention after 6 months

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Fall; Bone Density; Physical Exercise
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Multicomponent physical exercise program associated with a Mediterranean diet; Other: Usual care

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 84
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Roberto Méndez-Sánchez, PhD; Phone Number: 3201 (34)923294400; Email: ro_mendez@usal.es

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Salamanca, Spain, 37007
    • University of Salamanca

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients of both sexes older than 50 years
• Have a diagnosis of AD
• Present mild or moderate cognitive impairment (Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) score between 11 and 23 points included)
• Acceptance to participate in the study (enrollment in the study and signing of informed consent)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other associated pathologies that do not allow physical exercise due to having severe functional disability or being insecure (neurological diseases, severe cardio-respiratory pathology, etc.).
• Impossibility to carry out the evaluation tests.
• Falls and other incidents with severe consequences that cause disability and/or that do not allow the intervention to continue.
• Attendance at the MPEP is less than 75% in the total of the sessions between assessments. (Criterion applied to each period between assessments).
• Not performing the MPEP sessions for 2 or more consecutive weeks.
• Participate in another intervention program outside of this study, especially an exercise program (important intervention bias for the control group).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Experimental Group; Patients allocated to the intervention group will perform a MPEP during 6 months, with a frequency of 3 sessions per week, and approximately 45-50 minutes of duration each session. In addition, they will have a Mediterranean Diet. The patients in the MPEP will be carried out in small groups of 5-8 people. Structure of sessions: 3 different parts: an initial warm-up, a main part and a final cool-down and relaxation.	Other: Multicomponent physical exercise program associated with a Mediterranean diet; In this basic structure of each sessions, traditional exercises of mobility, strength, balance and coordination are included with the main objective of improving functional capacities. But, besides, games and some activities are also included with the aim, not only of improving the functional capacity, but also working the cognitive functions to reinforce the global effects. The Mediterranean diet will based in these main foods: 1) vegetables; 2) fruits; 3) fish or seafood; 4) legumes; 5) nuts; 6) bread or cereals; 7) white meat; 8) eggs; and 9)olive oil.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Control Group; Participants allocated to the control group will receive usual care and continue with their life normally, without participating in a standardized exercise program. They will be instructed to maintain their current physical activity level.	Other: Usual care; Usual care and participants continue with their life normally, without participating in a standardized exercise program, and they will be instructed to maintain their current physical activity level.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in gait and balance 1	Tinetti's Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA-T) will be used (points). the original POMA-T 28-point version. It consists of a balance scale (Balance performance oriented mobility assessment (POMA-B) can score 16 points) and a gait scale (Gait performance oriented mobility assessment (POMA-G) can score 12 points )	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in gait and balance 2	Timed up and go test (TUG) will be used (s). IT measures the time in seconds for the subjects to get up from a standard armchair, walk 3 metres, turn, walk back to the chair and sit down. The cut-off point for normal mobility is 12 seconds and values > 30 s indicate a high level of dependence. (a time <10s it is considered normal; <20s mobility difficulties and low or moderate risk of falls; > 20 mobility problems with need of help and high risk of falls)	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in Bone Mineral Density (BMD)	Bone health status will be assessed by ultrasound calcaneus densitometry/sonometry. As primary outcome we will assess the estimated BMD (g/cm2).	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in T-Score as primary parameter of bone health	Bone health status will be assessed by ultrasound calcaneus densitometry/sonometry. As primary outcome we will assess the T-Score. A T-score shows how much the BMD is higher or lower than the BMD of a healthy 30-year old adult. (-1.0 or above normal BMD; From -1.0 to -2.5 low BMD or osteopenia; -2.5 or below very low BMD and diagnosis of osteoporosis.	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in static balance	one-leg balance test (OLB) will be used (s). This test assess the ability of the patients to remain upright on one leg without support for at least 5 seconds, and each leg was tested.	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in proactive balance	Functional reach test (FR) will be used (cm). Is a measure of the distance in centimeters that the standing participant is able to reach forward from an initial upright posture to the maximal anterior leaning posture without moving or lifting the feet.	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Falls during the study	The number of falls of each subject during the study will be counted	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in the Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) as secondary parameter of bone health	Bone health status will be assessed by ultrasound calcaneus densitometry/sonometry. As secondary outcome we will assess the Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) (dB/MHz). It is a measurement of the differential attenuation of sound waves transmitted through the calcaneus.	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in the Speed of sound (SOS) as secondary parameter of bone health	Bone health status will be assessed by ultrasound calcaneus densitometry/sonometry. As secondary outcomes we will assess the SOS through the calcaneus bone (m/s). It is calculated as the ratio of the distance traveled by the impulse and the time taken by the signal to travel that distance	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in the Quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) as secondary parameter of bone health	Bone health status will be assessed by ultrasound calcaneus densitometry/sonometry. As secondary outcomes we will assess the Quantitative ultrasound index. To improve precision we will calculate de QUI, a variable derived from the mathematical combination of both SoS and BUA [0.41 × (BUA + SoS) - 571] (19), expressed as percent.	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]
Change in the nutritional status	Nutritional status will be assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (points). Total score ranging from 0 to 30. Well nourished (MNA score >23.5), at risk of malnutrition (MNA score=17.0-23.5), or malnourished (MNA score <17).	6 months. 4 time points: 1) Baseline (pre-intervention); 2) 1st post-intervention (1 month); 3) 2nd post-intervention (3 months); 4) Final, 3rd post-intervention (6 months)]

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Salamanca

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Puente-Gonzalez AS, Sanchez-Gonzalez F, Hernandez-Xumet JE, Sanchez-Sanchez MC, Barbero-Iglesias FJ, Mendez-Sanchez R. Short and medium-term effects of a multicomponent physical exercise program with a Mediterranean diet on bone mineral density, gait, balance, and fall risk for patients with Alzheimer disease: Randomized controlled clinical trial study protocol. Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Sep 18;99(38):e22385. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000022385.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ANTICIPATED): September 15, 2021
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): July 15, 2022
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): July 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 15, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2020
• First Posted (ACTUAL): June 19, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): March 9, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 7, 2021
• Last Verified: March 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dementia; Tauopathies; Alzheimer Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: 02102009-USalamanca

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No