Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population

Age, mean ± SD

78.1 ± 7.6

79.2 ± 9.2

78.3 ± 6.8

81.1 ± 6.4

Female sex (%)

84

81

74

81

Height (cm) mean ± SD

159 ± 5.3

160 ± 8.7

159 ± 7.5

158 ± 9.3

Weight (kg) mean ± SD

62.2 ± 13.2

63.4 ± 12.1

63.8 ± 12.3

63.9 ± 11.2

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

138 ± 9.9

129 ± 18.1

136 ± 17.5

140 ± 18.1

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

85 ± 7.9

80 ± 9.5

81 ± 7.0

82 ± 9.5

Heart rate mean ± SD

77 ± 9.3

75 ± 6.5

76 ± 4.8

76 ± 10.5

Diagnoses/medications

Cardiovascular diseases (%)

79

67

74

76

Pulmonary disorders (%)

53

48

58

52

Locomotive disorders (%)

63

62

68

67

Neurological disorders (%)

37

38

32

43

Urinary system diseases (%)

21

19

26

24

Visual deficits (%)

47

43

42

38

Regular medications

Mean ± SD

8.3 ± 5.6

9.1 ± 4.4

8.6 ± 5.1

9.4 ± 4.6

Key inclusion criteria

Berg Balance Scale (0–56) mean ± SD

45 ± 9.5

47 ± 8.2

46 ± 8.3

44 ± 9.2

MMSE (0–30) mean ± SD

23.8 ± 3.7

23.5 ± 4.5

24.7 ± 5.9

23.7 ± 4.0

Nutritional status

BMI (kg/m²) mean ± SD

24.7 ± 0.8

24.3 ± 0.6

25.2 ± 0.7

25.2 ± 0.6

MNA score (0–30) mean ± SD

22.1 ± 2.6

23.1 ± 2.5

23.3 ± 2.2

22.4 ± 2.2

Na mmol/l mean ± SD

142.8 ± 5.1

143.8 ± 1.9

144.1 ± 2.7

143 ± 2.7

K mmol/l mean ± SD

4.1 ± 0.4

4.2 ± 0.5

4.1 ± 0.4

4.3 ± 0.5

Ca mmol/l mean ± SD

1.8 ± 0.6

2.1 ± 0.7

1.8 ± 0.7

1.8 ± 0.7

Glucose mmol/l mean ± SD

4.9 ± 0.57

4.8 ± 0.57

4.8 ± 0.54

4.9 ± 0.86

Total cholesterol mol/l mean ± SD

5.09 ± 1.57

6.35 ± 1.04

5.54 ± 1.07

6.07 ± 1.02

LDL mmol/l mean ± SD

3.45 ± 1.2

4.25 ± 1.0

3.92 ± 0.9

4.18 ± 0.9

HDL mmol/l mean ± SD

1.44 ± 0.4

1.65 ± 0.6

1.45 ± 0.4

1.39 ± 0.5

Functional capability

ADL (0–6) mean ± SD

5.4 ± 0.8

5.5 ± 0.8

5.4 ± 1.0

4.9 ± 1.1

IADL (0–27) mean ± SD

20.8 ± 5.4

21.4 ± 5.5

20.7 ± 4.8

20.1 ± 4.7

Tinetti Total score (0–28)

Mean ± SD

22.3 ± 5.3

23.8 ± 4.1

22.5 ± 5.6

20.9 ± 4.8

Tinetti Balance score (0–16) mean ± SD

12.5 ± 3.1

13.6 ± 2.2

13.1 ± 3.5

11.0 ± 3.0

Tinetti Gait score (0–12)

Mean ± SD

9.7 ± 3.0

10.2 ± 2.2

9.4 ± 2.5

9.9 ± 2.6

6 MW test (m.) mean ± SD

267 ± 129

222 ± 103

262 ± 106

228 ± 107

Use walking aids (%)

42

48

47

43

Muscle strength (N/m.)

Right leg

Knee flexion mean ± SD

18.1 ± 7.0

18.5 ± 6.4

17.7 ± 5.3

18.6 ± 6.3

Knee extension mean ± SD

33 ± 12.7

36 ± 9.9

34.5 ± 13.4

33.5 ± 10.9

Hip flexion mean ± SD

27.1 ± 12.6

29.9 ± 13.2

29.6 ± 9.6

28.5 ± 9.6

Hip extension mean ± SD

21.2 ± 7.3

21.3 ± 8.5

20.2 ± 8.5

20.3 ± 8.2

Left leg

Knee flexion mean ± SD

18.3 ± 6.5

17.9 ± 5.8

17.7 ± 5.2

18.9 ± 6.7

Knee extension mean ± SD

33.6 ± 13.6

36.8 ± 13.0

33.1 ± 12.2

34.9 ± 13.8

Hip flexion mean ± SD

29.8 ± 10.5

31.9 ± 11.8

31.1 ± 13.1

30.5 ± 10.6

Hip extension mean ± SD

22.4 ± 7.3

22 ± 9.9

21.6 ± 5.9

22.1 ± 7.4