Sarcopenia, Self-Perceived Health Linked With Intervention Response in NH Residents

Nursing home residents with sarcopenia and better adherence to nutritional supplements were more likely than other residents to experience changes in physical function and body composition after participating in a 12-week nutrition and exercise intervention, according to study results published online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 

“Understanding factors associated with response and adherence to an intervention will help target susceptible residents in most need of support and to optimize the outcome,” researchers wrote.  

The study was a post-hoc analysis of a two-arm randomized trial called the Older Person’s Exercise and Nutrition study, a 12-week intervention consisting of sit-to-stand exercises and protein-rich nutritional supplements. Researchers conducted the post-hoc analysis to identify factors related to intervention response—specifically, improvements on the 30-second Chair Stand Test (physical function) and fat-free mass (body composition). Participants were age 75 and older who lived in dementia and somatic units across eight nursing homes.  

Odds of response increased with baseline sarcopenia and high adherence to nutritional supplements, according to the study. Adherence to sit-to-stand exercises and the combined nutrition-exercise intervention was more likely among residents with more independence in daily activities.

Meanwhile, assignment to the intervention group and better self-perceived health were linked with higher composite scores, the study found. 

“Nursing home residents with baseline sarcopenia, better self-perceived health, and high adherence to nutritional supplements benefitted most from a combined nutrition and exercise intervention regarding chair-stand capacity and composite scores of function and fat-free mass,” researchers concluded. 

—Jolynn Tumolo

Reference:

Karlsson ES, Grönstedt HK, Faxén-Irving G, et al. Response and Adherence of Nursing Home Residents to a Nutrition/Exercise Intervention [published online ahead of print, 2021 May 4]. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021;S1525-8610(21)00342-X. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2021.04.001