The PREDISC clinical trial protocol has been published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE under the title “Prevention of functional and cognitive impairment through a multicomponent exercise program during and after hospitalization of older adults (PREDISC): Study protocol for a multicenter randomized clinical trial”.
A relevant step for the research carried out under the PreDisc project
The paper was published on 25 September 2025 under open access. This is the protocol of a multicenter clinical trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component personalized physical exercise program-resistance, balance and strength-during hospitalization and after discharge for elderly people.
The study is carried out in three European hospitals: the Hospital Universitario de Navarra (Spain), the Hospital Distrital da Figueira da Foz (Portugal) and the Hospital Nostra Senyora de Meritxell (Andorra). The objective is to prevent functional and cognitive impairment, which is common in hospitalized older adults, and to promote their recovery through a training program during hospitalization. The study is 75% co-financed by the European Union’s Interreg Sudoe programme, through the PREDISC project.
This initiative aims to increase the scientific evidence of the training programme, which has already been demonstrated in a single-centre study in Navarre and a multi-centre study in Spain.
Implications and next steps
Hospitalization in the older people is often associated with a functional and cognitive decline, which may persist after discharge and affect their autonomy and quality of life. If the multi-component physical exercise programme proves effective, it could be transformed into a proactive integrated rehabilitation strategy in hospital care.
Recruitment of participants is expected to be completed in June 2026, with data collection until September and analysis of results estimated for November 2026.
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