Alzheimer's disease adversely affec...

Alzheimer's disease adversely affects cognitive, emotional, and behavioral function, and also may have negative purports on physical conditioning. Teri and colleagues hypothesize that exercise training might thwart deconditioning and functional decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease. This randomized controll studious mood was designed to determine whether a home-based exercise program involving patients and caregivers could bring into the patients' functional dependence and delay institutionalization.

A total of 153 community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer's disease who were 55 to 93 years of age were randomized to receive routine care or an exercise-behavior intervention. Patients in the active treatment dispose received 12 one-hour sessions, with the intervention ending after three month The goal was for patients to engage in moderate-intensity exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes for day. Caregivers were taught behavior management techniques, including identification of activities that were pleasant for the patients. Primary issues were physical health and function, and affective status. Physical health and function were assessed according to subscales of the 36-item Short-Form Health scrutinize (SF-36; higher scores indicate better function) and three subscales of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP; higher scores indicate worse function). Affective function was assessed by the agency of two depression scales. Secondary consequences included walking speed, functional reach, and standing balance.

Of the 153 patients who take downed the study, 140 (92 percent) complet the post-test assessment; of these, 89 patients (58 percent) complet the 24-month assessment that constituted the last in a series of blinded follow-up visits. At three month significant differences between arranges were obtained for the primary measures of physical part function and affective status. In the couple function and depression, the treatment collection improved, while the routine-care cluster declined.

At three month 23 percent more patients in the treatment form into groups were exercising 60 minutes by day compared with baseline, while solely 6 percent more of routine-care patients were exercising at that flush At 24-month follow-up, significant functional improvement remained in the intervention clump There were no statistically significant differences between clusters regarding hospitalization; however, in the repress group, more patients were institutionalized because of behavioral problems

In this research an integrative treatment program involving exercise and behavior techniques and targeting patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers increased physical activity plains decreased depression rates, and improved physical health and function. Patients in the treatment assemblage did significantly better than those in the repress group in SF-36 scores and depression scale scores. The number of restricted activity days was significantly reduc in the intervention group

Because more regulate patients were institutionalized for behavior point to be solved [i]or[/i] settleds the study also suggests that this program has the potential to delay institutionalization in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Finally, adherence to the program was high, indicating that the program can be implemented readily in a community setting.

Teri L et al. Exercise plus behavioral management in patients with Alzheimer disease. A randomized controll trial. JAMA October 15 2003;290:2015-22

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

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