Prefrail ElderlyFABULOSNCT07133282
SingHealth Polyclinics - Functional Strength Building of Older Persons
A study testing Group exercise programme in people with Prefrail Elderly, run by SingHealth Polyclinics at 4 sites in Singapore.
Trial summary
The goal of this study is to find out if a 12-week exercise programme for pre-frail seniors will result in an improvement in physical performance measures. Participants attended 12 group exercise sessions, lasting one hour each, and held once a week. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Prefrail Elderly
- What is being tested?
- Group exercise programme
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 227 participants
- Where
- 4 sitesSingapore
- Study dates
- 15 Mar 2022to 16 Jan 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 65 years or older, and
- Clinical Frailty score of 3 or 4.
Who cannot join
- Persons who had pre-existing medical contraindications to exercise OR
- clinical symptoms that rendered them unsuitable for physical activity as determined by their attending physician OR
- cognitive impairment affecting their ability to provide informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
4 sites in 1 country.
Singapore4 sites
SingHealth Polyclinics - Marine Parade
Singapore, Singapore, 440080
SingHealth Polyclinics - Sengkang
Singapore, Singapore, 545025
SingHealth Polyclinics - Punggol
Singapore, Singapore, 820681
SingHealth Polyclinics - Tampines
Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
About this study
Official title: Functional Strength Building of Older Persons (FABULOS)
The goal of this study is to find out if a 12-week exercise programme for pre-frail seniors will result in an improvement in physical performance measures.
Participants attended 12 group exercise sessions, lasting one hour each, and held once a week. Three of these sessions were be conducted remotely, via a video link that participants will follow at their own time. Physical performance measures were taken at the first and last sessions.
- Conditions
- Prefrail Elderly
- Being tested
- Group exercise programme
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Group exercise programmeBehavioural
12-week group exercise programme
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise group | Experimental | The intervention was twelve sessions of group exercise, delivered by exercise physiologists from ProAge (a health promotion social enterprise), lasting one hour each and conducted weekly. Each group had 10-15 participants. Nine sessions were held in-person, and three out of these twelve sessions were held remotely - the physiologist would send a video link of an exercise session for participants to follow at their own time for the week. Receives: Behavioral: Group exercise programme |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Short physical performance battery score
It assesses the functional mobility of an older adult's lower extremities in three domains (static balance, gait speed and chair stands). Balance is evaluated via the duration which participant can maintain side-by-side, semi-tandem, and tandem stances. Gait speed is measured by duration taken by the participant to walk 3 meters at their usual pace. Lower limb strength is assessed using the chair stand test, which records the time taken to complete five consecutive sit-to-stand movements from an armless chair with the participants' arms folded across the chest.
Measured: Assessed at baseline (at the start of the first exercise session) and 12 weeks (during the 12th exercise session)
Hand grip strength
It is assessed using a handgrip dynamometer, with participants' elbows flexed at 90 degrees with the forearm in neutral position, squeezing the device as hard as possible with their left and right hands. The average recorded value from two measurements was used for analysis of this study
Measured: Assessed at baseline (at the start of the first exercise session) and 12 weeks (during the 12th exercise session)
30-Seconds Sit-to-Stand repetitions
30-Seconds Sit-to-Stand repetitions is a measure of lower limb strength, endurance, and functional fitness. It is performed by recording the maximum number of times a participant can stand up fully and sit down from an armless chair within 30 seconds, with their arms folded across their chest. A higher number of repetitions indicate better functional capacity
Measured: Assessed at first exercise session and 12th exercise session (i.e. 12 weeks from baseline)
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in exercise category in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
Participants reported their physical activity based on an interviewer-administered IPAQ-SF during the enrolment visit, 6-month and 12-month after the start of the structured exercise programme.
The IPAQ-SF is a validated instrument widely used as a measure of physical activity. The questionnaire contains 8 items, which assesses the frequency and duration of physical activity across domains such as sitting, walking, moderate-intensity activities and vigorous intensity activities. Based on the responses, the total metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes per week is calculated, and participants are categorised into low, moderate, or high physical activity levels. There is no minimum or maximum value of MET-minutes per week as this is based on the participants' responses.
Measured: At enrolment, 6months post enrolment and 12 months post enrolment.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Aug 2025
- Study start15 Mar 2022
- Primary completion8 Jun 2023
- Study completion16 Jan 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Prefrail ElderlyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 227 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- SingHealth Polyclinics
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Pei Lin Hu, MBBS, MMED(FM), FCFP(S), Principal investigator, SingHealth Polyclinics
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07133282
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SHPFABULOS
- Acronym
- FABULOS
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 25 May 2025
- Last updated
- 21 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Sharing of IPD outside of the study team was not included in the informed consent form signed earlier by the participants.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Functional Strength Building of Older Persons (FABULOS)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07133282
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FABULOS / SHPFABULOS
- Conditions
- Prefrail Elderly
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 227 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- SingHealth PolyclinicsUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Mar 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 8 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Jan 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this study is to find out if a 12-week exercise programme for pre-frail seniors will result in an improvement in physical performance measures.
Participants attended 12 group exercise sessions, lasting one hour each, and held once a week. Three of these sessions were be conducted remotely, via a video link that participants will follow at their own time. Physical performance measures were taken at the first and last sessions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise group | Experimental | Behavioral: Group exercise programmeThe intervention was twelve sessions of group exercise, delivered by exercise physiologists from ProAge (a health promotion social enterprise), lasting one hour each and conducted weekly. Each group had 10-15 participants. Nine sessions were held in-person, and three out of these twelve sessions were held remotely - the physiologist would send a video link of an exercise session for participants to follow at their own time for the week. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- 65 years or older, and
- Clinical Frailty score of 3 or 4.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Persons who had pre-existing medical contraindications to exercise OR
- clinical symptoms that rendered them unsuitable for physical activity as determined by their attending physician OR
- cognitive impairment affecting their ability to provide informed consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Group exercise programme12-week group exercise programme | Behavioural | Exercise group |
Primary outcome
Short physical performance battery score
Time frame: Assessed at baseline (at the start of the first exercise session) and 12 weeks (during the 12th exercise session)
It assesses the functional mobility of an older adult's lower extremities in three domains (static balance, gait speed and chair stands). Balance is evaluated via the duration which participant can maintain side-by-side, semi-tandem, and tandem stances. Gait speed is measured by duration taken by the participant to walk 3 meters at their usual pace. Lower limb strength is assessed using the chair stand test, which records the time taken to complete five consecutive sit-to-stand movements from an armless chair with the participants' arms folded across the chest.
Hand grip strength
Time frame: Assessed at baseline (at the start of the first exercise session) and 12 weeks (during the 12th exercise session)
It is assessed using a handgrip dynamometer, with participants' elbows flexed at 90 degrees with the forearm in neutral position, squeezing the device as hard as possible with their left and right hands. The average recorded value from two measurements was used for analysis of this study
30-Seconds Sit-to-Stand repetitions
Time frame: Assessed at first exercise session and 12th exercise session (i.e. 12 weeks from baseline)
30-Seconds Sit-to-Stand repetitions is a measure of lower limb strength, endurance, and functional fitness. It is performed by recording the maximum number of times a participant can stand up fully and sit down from an armless chair within 30 seconds, with their arms folded across their chest. A higher number of repetitions indicate better functional capacity
1 secondary outcome
Change in exercise category in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
Time frame: At enrolment, 6months post enrolment and 12 months post enrolment.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Aug 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Sharing of IPD outside of the study team was not included in the informed consent form signed earlier by the participants.
Related trials for Prefrail Elderly
Recruiting
Comparıson of the Effıcacy of Conventıonal Exercıse and Pılates ın Pre-fraıl and Fraıl Older Adults
Frailty Syndrome, Prefrail Elderly
Not yet recruiting
The Effect of Teleconsultation, on the Reversibility of Frailty in Geriatric Patients Post Hospitalization
Prefrail Elderly, Frail Elderly
Recruiting
Non-invasive Brain Stimulation on Functional Capacity in Prefrail Older Adults
Prefrail Elderly
Not yet recruiting
High-technology TeleRehabilitation for the Treatment of the FRAgile Patient
Heart Failure, Prefrail Elderly
Recruiting
Exploratory Study on a Multi-nutrient Supplement and Exercise Program for Improving Health Markers Associated to Longevity in Pre-frail Adults
Pre-Frailty, Aging
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Pei Lin Hu, MBBS, MMED(FM), FCFP(S) principal investigator
SingHealth Polyclinics
4 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Group exercise programme in people with Prefrail Elderly, run by SingHealth Polyclinics at 4 sites in Singapore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 4 sites in Singapore. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Short physical performance battery score (time frame: Assessed at baseline (at the start of the first exercise session) and 12 weeks (during the 12th exercise session)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Aug 2025.