A randomized controlled trial of resistance and balance exercise for sarcopenic patients aged 80–99 years

We compared a mixed exercise program (i.e., balance exercise plus resistance exercise) with resistance exercise in a single-blind, randomized controlled trial in a post-acute care unit. In total, 60 sarcopenic patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group (12-week mixed exercise) and a control group (12-week resistance exercise). The primary outcomes were the change of the Barthel Index and the number of fallers. The intervention group showed a mean increase of 9.5 points on the Barthel Index (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.9–15.1), while the control group showed a mean increase of 6.3 points (95% CI 2.3–10.4). The mixed exercise program provided a significant benefit over resistance exercise (adjusted mean difference of the change of Barthel Index: 6.8 points; 95% CI 1.4–12.1). The number of fallers was 13.3% and 23.3% in the intervention and control groups, respectively, but the difference was not significant (risk ratio (RR) 0.89, 95% CI 0.69–1.13, p = 0.506). In conclusion, compared with resistance exercise, the mixed exercise program appears to further improve the activities of daily living and physical performance in our study population. Under the monitoring of experienced physiotherapists, both exercise programs are feasible and safe for this population.