Marja-Liisa Laakkonen

Effects of the Finnish Alzheimer disease exercise trial (FINALEX): a randomized controlled trial.

IMPORTANCE Few rigorous clinical trials have investigated the effectiveness of exercise on the physical functioning of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of intense and long-term exercise on the physical functioning and mobility of home-dwelling patients with AD and to explore its effects on the use and costs of health and social services. DESIGN A randomized controlled trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS A total of 210 home-dwelling patients with AD living with their spousal caregiver. INTERVENTIONS The 3 trial arms included (1) group-based exercise (GE; 4-hour sessions with approximately 1-hour training) and (2) tailored home-based exercise (HE; 1-hour training), both twice a week for 1 year, and (3) a control group (CG) receiving the usual community care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Short Physical Performance Battery, and information on the use and costs of social and health care services. RESULTS All groups deteriorated in functioning during the year after randomization, but deterioration was significantly faster in the CG than in the HE or GE group at 6 (P = .003) and 12 (P = .015) months. The FIM changes at 12 months were -7.1 (95% CI, -3.7 to -10.5), -10.3 (95% CI, -6.7 to -13.9), and -14.4 (95% CI, -10.9 to -18.0) in the HE group, GE group, and CG, respectively. The HE and GE groups had significantly fewer falls than the CG during the follow-up year. The total costs of health and social services for the HE patient-caregiver dyads (in US dollars per dyad per year) were

Predisposing and precipitating factors for delirium in a frail geriatric population

25,112 (95% CI,

Family care as collaboration: effectiveness of a multicomponent support program for elderly couples with dementia. Randomized controlled intervention study.

17,642 to

Efficacy of physical exercise intervention on mobility and physical functioning in older people with dementia: a systematic review.

32,581) (P = .13 for comparison with the CG),

How do elderly spouse care givers of people with Alzheimer disease experience the disclosure of dementia diagnosis and subsequent care

22,066 in the GE group (

Apathy: Prevalence, Associated Factors, and Prognostic Value Among Frail, Older Inpatients

15,931 to

Living Will, Resuscitation Preferences, and Attitudes towards Life in an Aged Population

28,199; P = .03 vs CG), and

Effects of Exercise on Cognition: The Finnish Alzheimer Disease Exercise Trial: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

34,121 (

The Overlap of Delirium With Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Among Patients With Dementia

24,559 to

Psychosocial group intervention to enhance self-management skills of people with dementia and their caregivers: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

43,681) in the CG. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE An intensive and long-term exercise program had beneficial effects on the physical functioning of patients with AD without increasing the total costs of health and social services or causing any significant adverse effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12608000037303.