PUSH Plus Protein Pilot for Hip Fracture Patients

Summary

Hip fracture is a common problem among older individuals. The goal of current standard of care after hip fracture is to achieve independent, household ambulation 2-3 months after surgery, yet decreased functional ability typically persists well beyond three months and many patients never resume independent ambulation outside the home. Previous research has established that one must be able to walk at least 300 meters (\~330 yards) within 6 minutes to re-establish routine interactions in the community, such as going to the store or to church. In part, this is based on the average distance from handicapped parking spaces into most facilities. Activity and exercise are believed to be of benefit for reducing disability in older adults, yet the majority of older adults does not participate in regular exercise and is not active. This is especially true for older adults following hip fracture after they complete the usual rehabilitation program.

This research study is being done to test a 16-week, multi-part exercise intervention for hip fracture patients that will be supervised by specially trained physical therapists (PTs). The exercise intervention uses a novel machine to provide strength and endurance training in the home. This has been shown in smaller studies to be safe and effective at increasing strength. The purpose of this small pilot study is to test whether adding a protein supplement to the exercise intervention leads to more improvements in a person's ability to walk in their own home and in the local community. With this knowledge, investigators hope to help a greater number of hip fracture patients enjoy a more complete recovery and improved overall health.

In addition to providing important information on adherence, feasibility, and safety, this pilot study of hip fracture patients has the unique advantage of being able to compare data to two recently completed studies where participants received the PUSH intervention without protein supplementation.

Conditions

• Hip Fracture

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

PUSH

Strength components of the muscle performance intervention are performed using a portable progressive resistive exercise device (Shuttle® MiniPress, Contemporary Design Company, P.O. Box 5089, Glacier, Washington 98244). Muscle performance focuses on bilateral hip extensors, hip abductors, knee extensors, and plantar flexors. Balance and strength are addressed with additional exercises performed while standing. The endurance intervention begins with 2-3 minutes of continuous upper and lower extremity active range of motion (AROM) with the participant sitting in order to increase the participants' heart rate (HR) or exertion closer to the target zone. The participant is then asked to walk on level surfaces and/or up and down steps to keep the HR within the training zone for 20 minutes.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Protein

Participants will receive a whey-based protein supplement in the form of a powder containing 27.6g of protein. This dose induces maximum muscle protein synthesis post-exercise. Participants will mix the supplement in 8 oz of water (or other beverage) or soft food (e.g., yogurt, soup) and consume immediately following each exercise session with the study PT. On days when they do not have a physical therapy visit with the study PT, participants will be instructed to take the supplement at the meal time closest to the time of scheduled PT visits to maintain regular daily dosing schedule.

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Nutrition

Participants receive 2000 IU vitamin D3, 600 mg calcium, and a multivitamin daily for the duration of the study. Nutritional counseling is also provided. Participants are screened at baseline to assess nutritional risk using the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form and contacted by a registered dietician (RD) within 7 days of baseline testing Those who score ≤7 (malnourished) and participants with baseline serum albumin 2.5-3.5 g/dl receive a visit from an RD with follow-up a week later. Participants who score 8-11 (at risk of malnutrition) and have serum albumin level \>3.5 g/dl receive a phone call from the RD and may receive an in-person visit if warranted. Those screening in the normal range (12-14) and have serum albumin level \>3.5 g/dl receive a phone call from the RD. Weight is monitored every 4 weeks. Those who lose 2% or more body weight receive a call from the RD. Those who lose 5% or more body weight between baseline and follow-up may be referred to an RD.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Maryland, Baltimore

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jay Magaziner, PhD, MSHyg · University of Maryland, Baltimore

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-07-16

Primary Completion

2020-12-12

Completion

2020-12-12

Countries

• United States

Study Locations