Overall , the effect of physical interventions on physical performance was inconsistent .
Patient tailored interventions , i.e. continuously adapted to the capabilities of the patient were not found to be superior over interventions that were not .
Conclusions Evidence for the effect of physical interventions on physical performance in older patients during hospitalization was found uncertain .
Background To counteract decline in physical performance and physical activity in older patients during hospitalization , multiple physical interventions were developed .
However , it is unknown whether these are effective in this particular population .
This systematic review aim ed to identify the effect of physical interventions on physical performance and physical activity in older patients during hospitalization .
Early nutritional support and physiotherapy improved long-term self-sufficiency in acutely ill older patients.
OBJECTIVE An acute disease is regularly associated with inflammation , decreased food intake , and low physical activity ; the consequence is loss of muscle mass . However , the restoration of muscle tissue is problematic , especially in older patients . Loss of muscle mass leads to further decrease of physical activity which leads , together with recurring disease , to the progressive muscle mass loss accompanied by loss of self-sufficiency . Early nutrition support and physical activity could reverse this situation . Therefore , the aim of this study was to determine whether an active approach based on early nutritional therapy and exercise would influence the development of sarcopenia and impaired self-sufficiency during acute illness . METHODS Two hundred patients > 78 y were admitted to a hospital internal medicine department and participated in a prospect i ve , r and omized controlled study . The patients were r and omized to a control group receiving st and ard treatment ( n = 100 ) or to an intervention group ( n = 100 ) . The intervention consisted of nutritional supplements ( 600 kcal , 20 g/d protein ) added to a st and ard diet and a simultaneous intensive rehabilitation program . The tolerance of supplements and their influence on spontaneous food intake , self-sufficiency , muscle strength , and body composition were evaluated during the study period . The patients were then regularly monitored for 1 y post-discharge . RESULTS The provision of nutritional supplements together with early rehabilitation led to increased total energy and protein intake while the intake of st and ard hospital food was not reduced . The loss of lean body mass and a decrease in self-sufficiency were apparent at discharge from the hospital and 3 mo thereafter in the control group . Nutritional supplementation and the rehabilitation program in the study group prevented these alterations . A positive effect of nutritional intervention and exercise during the hospital stay was apparent at 6 mo post-discharge . CONCLUSIONS The early nutritional intervention together with early rehabilitation preserves muscle mass and independence in ill older patients hospitalized because of acute disease
Overall , the effect of physical interventions on physical performance was inconsistent .
Patient tailored interventions , i.e. continuously adapted to the capabilities of the patient were not found to be superior over interventions that were not .
Conclusions Evidence for the effect of physical interventions on physical performance in older patients during hospitalization was found uncertain .
Background To counteract decline in physical performance and physical activity in older patients during hospitalization , multiple physical interventions were developed .
However , it is unknown whether these are effective in this particular population .
This systematic review aim ed to identify the effect of physical interventions on physical performance and physical activity in older patients during hospitalization .