Effects of a Short-Term Multicomponent Functional Exercise Program on the Serum Proteome: An Exploratory Study in Hospitalized Older Adults

Hospitalization in older adults often leads to disability in daily living activities, thereby increasing the risk of functional and cognitive impairments. This randomized controlled trial analyzed the serum protein profile of patients admitted to an acute geriatric unit who engaged in supervised multicomponent functional exercises compared with a control group. Potential protein biomarkers were assessed using Olink® serum proteomics platform employing two predefined panels: Cardiometabolic and Inflammation. Notably, short-term exercise intervention was associated with moderate but consistent changes in the serum proteome. Nominal differences (p < 0.05, unadjusted) were observed for amyloid beta precursor-like protein 1 (APLP1), complement C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (C1QTNF1), interleukin-8 (CXCL8), interleukin-7 (IL-7), M-phase phosphoprotein 8 (MPHOSPH8), neurotrophin 3 (NTF3), tissue-type plasminogen activator (PLAT), SFRS1-interacting protein (PSIP1), pleiotrophin (PTN), cardiac-type troponin I (TNNI3), von Willebrand factor (vWF), and while levels of CD40 ligand (CD40LG) were reduced. These findings suggest that short-term multicomponent functional exercises during acute hospitalization can induce changes in the serum proteome. These molecular alterations provide exploratory insight into the biological processes associated with the functional benefits observed following the intervention in hospitalized older adult patients.