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Weighted Blankets for Agitation in Hospitalized Patients with Dementia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Holly A. Schenzel, Allyson K. Palmer, Neel B. Shah, Donna K. Lawson, Karen M. Fischer, Maria I. Lapid, Ruth E. DeFoster. JMIR Research Protocols, 2025-02-26
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Enrollment of participants began on April 23, 2023. As of November 2024, a total of 24 participants have been enrolled in the study. Baseline characteristics of enrolled participants will be analyzed and reported upon completion of enrollment. We anticipate completing data collection by March 2026. The study will determine the effect of weighted blankets on agitation in hospitalized patients with dementia. Insights into the effect of weighted blankets on sleep will also be gained. The results of this study will be relevant in the setting of increasing numbers of older adults with dementia exhibiting agitation, leading to increased hospitalizations, caregiver burden, and health care costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03643991; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03643991. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/57264.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Schenzel, H. A., Palmer, A. K., Shah, N. B., Lawson, D. K., Fischer, K. M., Lapid, M. I., et al. (2025). Weighted Blankets for Agitation in Hospitalized Patients with Dementia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. https://doi.org/10.2196/57264
Vancouver
Schenzel HA, Palmer AK, Shah NB, Lawson DK, Fischer KM, Lapid MI, et al. Weighted Blankets for Agitation in Hospitalized Patients with Dementia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. 2025. doi:10.2196/57264. PMID: 40009836.
BibTeX
@article{schenzel2025-40009836,
author = {Schenzel, Holly A. and Palmer, Allyson K. and Shah, Neel B. and Lawson, Donna K. and Fischer, Karen M. and Lapid, Maria I. and DeFoster, Ruth E.},
title = {{Weighted Blankets for Agitation in Hospitalized Patients with Dementia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial}},
journal = {JMIR Research Protocols},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.2196/57264},
pmid = {40009836},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2196/57264}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Enrollment of participants began on April 23, 2023.
- As of November 2024, a total of 24 participants have been enrolled in the study.
- Baseline characteristics of enrolled participants will be analyzed and reported upon completion of enrollment.
- We anticipate completing data collection by March 2026.
- The study will determine the effect of weighted blankets on agitation in hospitalized patients with dementia.
Why it matters
This is a protocol for a randomized controlled trial that will test whether weighted blankets affect agitation in hospitalized patients with dementia. Enrollment is ongoing, with data collection anticipated to finish by March 2026, so no results on treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease are available yet.
Study details
- Participants24
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 35 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (JMIR Research Protocols) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | JMIR Research Protocols: journal h-index 62 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 24 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Ruth E. DeFoster holds only 5 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40009836) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 35 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 35 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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