Implementing an exercise intervention for sarcopenia in oldest-old nursing home residents: protocol for a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial (SCOPE Study).

Authors

Cheng Xiang, Lu Li, Jianzhi Zhao, Yuwen Zhou, Wenye Cai, Yixi Guo, Ziru Yang, Xin An, Changxu Gu, Run Ding, Xucheng Wu, Yincun Wang, Di Wang, Shen Xu, Zuyun Liu, Ying Gao

Published in

BMC geriatrics. Volume 26. Issue 1. Aug 31, 2026. Epub Aug 31, 2026.

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a progressive age-related condition characterized by loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, with particularly high prevalence among nursing home residents and the oldest-old population. Although exercise is a recognized non-pharmacological intervention, existing evidence has largely been generated in selected community-dwelling populations, limiting its applicability to vulnerable older adults in real-world long-term care settings. The SCOPE study (Sarcopenia Care in Oldest-old: a Pragmatic Exercise cluster-randomized controlled trial) evaluates the effectiveness and feasibility of caregiver-led modified Baduanjin, resistance training, and combined exercise interventions for sarcopenia management in nursing home residents.
This pragmatic, cluster-randomized controlled trial aims to recruit 104 residents aged ≥ 75 years with sarcopenia from a large nursing home in Hangzhou, China. Participants will be randomized by residential building into four groups: Modified Baduanjin Group, Resistance Training Group, Combined Exercise Group, and Control Group. The 48-week intervention will be delivered by trained caregivers using video-guided sessions, with phased reduction in specialist supervision. The primary outcome is a composite sarcopenia Z-score integrating handgrip strength, Short Physical Performance Battery, and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. Secondary outcomes include functional mobility, balance, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, neuromuscular activation, questionnaire-based assessments, and saliva biological markers. Clinical events and care-dependency records will also be collected throughout the intervention and follow-up periods. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 12, week 24, week 48, and at 1 and 2 years post-intervention.
The SCOPE study addresses the need for feasible and sustainable exercise interventions for sarcopenia in real-world nursing home settings. By integrating pragmatic caregiver-led delivery, multimodal outcome assessment, and long-term follow-up, this trial aims to inform exercise prescription, implementation feasibility, and potential mechanisms of adaptation in oldest-old nursing home residents. The findings are expected to support the development of scalable exercise intervention frameworks for sarcopenia management in long-term care facilities.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2500107315).

PMID:
42723028
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Sep 2026.

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