Repeated passive mobilization to stimulate vascular function in individuals of advanced age who are chronically bedridden. A randomized controlled trial
Repeated passive mobilization to stimulate vascular function in individuals of advanced age who are chronically bedridden. A randomized controlled trial
(2022)
Repeated passive mobilization to stimulate vascular function in individuals of advanced age who are chronically bedridden. A randomized controlled trial
Anno:
2022
Tipologia prodotto:
Articolo in Rivista
Tipologia ANVUR:
Articolo su rivista
Lingua:
Inglese
Formato:
A Stampa
Referee:
Sì
Nome rivista:
Journals of Gerontology Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
ISSN Rivista:
1079-5006
N° Volume:
77
Numero o Fascicolo:
3
Intervallo pagine:
588-596
Parole chiave:
bed rest; repeated passive mobilization; single passive leg movement; vascular function
Breve descrizione dei contenuti:
Background: Vascular dysfunction and associated disorders are major side effects of chronic bed rest, yet passive mobilization as a potential treatment has only been theorized so far. This study investigated the effects of passive mobilization treatment on vascular function in older, chronically bedridden people. Methods: The study sample was 45 chronically bedridden people of advanced age (mean age 87 years; 56% female; mean bed rest 4 years) randomly assigned to a treatment (n=23) or a control group (CTRL, n=22). The treatment group received passive mobilization twice daily (30 min, 5 times/week) for 4 weeks. A kinesiologist performed passive mobilization by passive knee flexion/extension at 1 Hz in one leg (treated leg, T-leg vs ctrl-leg). The CTRL group received routine treatment. The primary outcome was changes in peak blood flow (∆Peak) as measured with the single passive leg movement test (sPLM) at the common femoral artery. Results: ∆Peak was increased in both legs in the Treatment group (+90.9 ml/min, p<0.001, in T-leg and +25.7 ml/min, p=0.039 in ctrl-leg). No difference in peak blood flow after routine treatment was found in the CTRL group. Conclusion: Improvement in vascular function after 4 weeks of passive mobilization was recorded in the treatment group. Passive mobilization may be advantageously included in standard clinical practice as an effective strategy to treat vascular dysfunction in persons with severely limited mobility.