Assessment of frailty and its influence factors in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the frailty in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and its influence factors. Methods A total of 127 adults undergoing hemodialysis from January 2015 and January 2016 in our center were recruited. Their clinical data and blood biochemical data were collected. Frailty was assessed using Fried's Frailty Phenotype. Quantification of coronary artery calcification (CACs) was determined by multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT). According to the frailty scores, patients were divided into non-frailty, pro-frailty and frailty group. Their in clinical and biochemical index as well as CACs were compared. The correlations of frailty scores with above index were assessed by Spearman's correlation. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the effect factors of frailty on MHD patients. Results Among 127 selected patients, 46(36.22%) patients without frailty, 45(35.43%) patients with pro-frailty, and 36(28.35%) patients with frailty. The age, diabetes, haemoglobin, albumin, pre-albumin, C-reactive protein, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), CACs and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) of the 3 groups had statistical differences (all P<0.05). The degrees of calcification among 3 groups were also different statistically (F=31.769, P<0.001). In patients with MHD, frailty was positively correlated with age (r=0.545, P<0.001), diabetes (r=0.236, P=0.008), C-reactive protein (r=0.245, P=0.006), FGF23 (r=0.189, P=0.034) and CACs (r=0.396, P<0.001), while negatively correlated with haemoglobin (r=-0.257, P=0.004), albumin (r=-0.380, P<0.001), pre-albumin (r=-0.313, P<0.001). Age (OR=1.076), C-reactive protein (OR=1.176), albumin (OR=0.796) and artery calcification (OR=2.465) were independent influence factors for frailty in MHD patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of frailty is high among MHD patients. Frailty is associated with age, C-reactive protein, albumin and artery calcification in MHD patients. Key words: Renal dialysis; Coronary vessels; Protein-energy malnutrition