Abstract
Exercise training positively impacts mental health, yet remains untested in older adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of exercise training in older veterans with PTSD. Fifty-four veterans ≥ 60 years, with a DSM-V diagnosis of PTSD, were randomized to supervised exercise (n = 36) or wait-list (WL; n = 18). Primary outcomes included recruitment rates, attendance, satisfaction, and retention. Secondary outcomes included changes in PTSD symptoms, depression, health-related quality of life, and sleep quality; assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. There were no adverse events. Attrition was minimal (14%), and adherence to the exercise intervention was high (82%). Clinically significant improvements in PTSD and related conditions were observed following exercise (Cohen’s d = 0.36–0.81). Exercise training is safe and acceptable in older adults with PTSD, may improve PTSD symptoms, and broadly impacts PTSD-related conditions. Future definitive trials are warranted.
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Acknowledgements
We express our deepest gratitude to the veterans who volunteered to participate in this research study and provided valuable feedback and insights. This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (2RX001316 to K. Hall). Drs. Hall and Morey are supported by the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (National Institute on Aging P30AG028716). The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Funding
This study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (2RX001316 to K. Hall). Drs. Hall and Morey are supported by the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (National Institute on Aging P30AG028716).
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Katherine S. Hall, Miriam C. Morey, Hayden B. Bosworth, Jean C. Beckham, Michelle M. Pebole, Richard Sloane and Carl F. Pieper declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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All procedures followed were in accordance with ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.
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Hall, K.S., Morey, M.C., Bosworth, H.B. et al. Pilot randomized controlled trial of exercise training for older veterans with PTSD. J Behav Med 43, 648–659 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00073-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-019-00073-w