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ROLE OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN FRAILTY PREVENTION AMONG OLDER INDIVIDUALS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME

COSTINA-DANIELA GÎȚĂ 1#, JUSTIN AURELIAN 2#, MIRELA NEDELESCU 3, OANA KARAMPELAS 4*, ANA-GABRIELA PRADA 1, SANDRA-MONICA GÎDEI 1, OVIDIU ANDREI CIOCAN 1, BLEBEA NICOLETA-MIRELA 5, VIVIANA ELIAN 6

1 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Clinic of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chronic Diseases “Sf. Luca”, Bucharest, Romania
2 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Nursing, Bucharest, Romania
3 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Bucharest, Romania
4 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
5 “Ovidius” University Constanța, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacotherapy, Constanța, Romania
6 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Bucharest, Romania

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Frailty is an increasingly recognised geriatric syndrome, mainly characterised by loss of physical reserve. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a multifactorial cardiometabolic cluster, represents a growing global threat. In our group of 100 elderly people, frailty was assessed using the Groningen scale, MetS was evaluated, muscle strength was measured using an electronic dynamometer, and functionality was assessed using validated scales. Women were the majority (69%), and 67% came from urban areas. The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (42%, p = 0.00023). At baseline, patients with MetS presented a lower functional profile: IADL score 5.78 ± 1.89 versus 7.21 ± 1.72, grip strength 12.79 kg versus 19.65 kg (p = 0.001). Following a 10-day multimodal physiotherapy program, the MetS subgroup achieved clinically and statistically significant improvements: IADL 0.52 (p = 0.008), TUG -0.87 s (p = 0.001), grip 1.21 kg (p = 0.003), Downton -0.50 (p = 0.021) and GFI -0.43 (p = 0.037), whereas non-MetS participants showed minimal change. These results highlight both the heightened functional vulnerability of older adults with MetS and the rapid, meaningful improvements achievable through short-cycle, multimodal rehabilitation.