FICSIT Trials

Article:

Buchner DM, Cress ME, Wagner EH, de Lateur BJ, Price R, Abrass IB. The Seattle FICSIT/MoveIt study: the effect of exercise on gait and balance in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 1993;41(3):321-5.

Department of Health Services
University of Washington

While exercise is generally recommended for older adults, the specific role of exercise in preventing falls and frail health is unclear. The Seattle FICSIT/MoveIt study is a population-based, randomized, controlled trial comparing the effects of three 6-month exercise interventions (endurance training, strength training, or combined endurance and strength training), and three 3-month endurance training interventions (stationary cycle, walking, or aerobic movement). Primary study outcomes are aerobic capacity, strength, gait, balance, and physical functional status. The study enrolls adults age 68-85 who have leg weakness and impaired gait. It differs from most previous community-based exercise studies in several respects: recruitment of subjects from a defined population; eligibility criteria based upon physiologic and functional status deficits; random assignment to exercise groups; assessment of both physiologic and functional status outcomes; follow-up beyond the completion of supervised exercise; and a large sample size (Total N = 180).

PubMed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=8440857

Article:

Buchner DM, Cress ME, de Lateur BJ, Esselman PC, Margherita AJ, Price R, Wagner EH. The effect of strength and endurance training on gait, balance, fall risk, and health services use in community-living older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1997 Jul;52(4):M218-24.

Department of Health Services
University of Washington

Background:

The study tested the effect of strength and endurance training on gait, balance, physical health status, fall risk, and health services use in older adults.

Methods:

The study was a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial with intention-to-treat analysis. Adults (n = 105) age 68-85 with at least mild deficits in strength and balance were selected from a random sample of enrollees in a health maintenance organization. The intervention was supervised exercise (1-h sessions, three per week, for 24-26 weeks), followed by self-supervised exercise. Exercise groups included strength training using weight machines (n = 25), endurance training using bicycles (n = 25), and strength and endurance training (n = 25). Study outcomes included gait tests, balance tests, physical health status measures, self-reported falls (up to 25 months of follow-up), and inpatient and outpatient use and costs.

Results:

There were no effects of exercise on gait, balance, or physical health status. Exercise had a protective effect on risk of falling (relative hazard = .53, 95% CI = .30-.91). Between 7 and 18 months after randomization, control subjects had more outpatient clinic visits (p < .06) and were more likely to sustain hospital costs over $5000 (p < .05).

Conclusion:

Exercise may have beneficial effects on fall rates and health care use in some subgroups of older adults. In community-living adults with mainly mild impairments in gait, balance, and physical health status, short-term exercise may not have a restorative effect on these impairments.

PubMed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?
cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9224433