Community Physical Exercise Program in Chronic Disease

Launched by ASSOCIAÇÃO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DO CENTRO ACADÉMICO DE INVESTIGAÇÃO E FORMAÇÃO BIOMÉDICA DO ALGARV · Jan 8, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study, called the Community Physical Exercise Program in Chronic Disease, tests whether a 12‑week, supervised exercise program can improve heart–lung fitness, muscle strength, daily function, and quality of life in adults 50 and older who have chronic health issues such as cardiovascular risk or disease, Type 2 diabetes, and/or osteoarthritis. It uses a randomized design: participants are assigned to either the Community Program Group (receives the exercise program) or a control group (no intervention). Assessors who measure the outcomes are blind to group assignment. The study is being carried out in Faro, Portugal, with about 240 participants planned.

If you are eligible, you would join two 60‑minute sessions each week for 12 weeks, combining aerobic exercise with strength training, tailored to your health needs. You would have baseline and 12‑week assessments that look at things like overall fitness (how well your body uses oxygen during exercise), strength and power in leg muscles, balance and walking speed, pain and function related to osteoarthritis, and overall quality of life. Blood tests and body measurements (cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, and body composition) may also be collected. The goal is to see if regular supervised exercise can meaningfully improve fitness, function, pain, and well‑being, and to help guide personalized exercise plans for people living with multiple long‑term conditions. No results are available yet.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 50 or more years old;
• • The current amount of physical activity does not correspond to WHO recommendations (\<150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity/week or \<75 min of vigorous-intensity physical activity/week);
• • No cardio/cerebrovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal contraindications to physical exercise, according to ACSS;
• • Independent gait AND
• • High risk level in SCORE2 or SCORE2 O.P. cardiovascular risk algorithm or prior cardiovascular disease; AND/OR
• • Post Stroke ischemic or hemorrhagic type with a defined and treated etiology. AND/OR
• • Type 2 DM diagnosed at least 6 months ago; AND/OR
• • Clinical diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Cognitive impairment- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA);
• • Participation in supervised dietary intervention;
• • Occurrence of acute myocardial infarction with less than 12 months;
• • Class III or IV angina according to Canadian Cardiovascular Society criteria;
• • Class III or IV symptoms according to New York Heart Association criteria;
• • Type 2 Myocardial Infarction;
• • Uncontrolled and symptomatic cardiac arrythmia with hemodynamic impact; Severe and symptomatic aortic valve stenosis; Uncontrolled and symptomatic heart failure; Active myocarditis, pericarditis or endocarditis; Acute aortic syndrome; Known or suspected desiccant aneurism; Acute systemic infection;
• • Presence of neurological disorders that influence gait;
• • Major complications of DM that does not allow exercise practice (poor metabolic control, diabetic foot, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic autonomic neuropathy);
• • Taking insulin or sulphonylureas for less than three months;
• • Pacemaker device;
• • Internal prosthesis;
• • Untreated stroke etiology: indication for revascularization; non-hypocagulated atrial fibrillation, intracranial atheromatous occlusive disease.