Abstract
This article aims to categorize elderly non-frail (NF), pre-frail (PF) and frail (FF) as to fast and slow gait speed. Compare NF, PF and FF, and analyze associations between fast or slow gait speed with clinical, functional and mental factors. 5,501 elderly (65 years or over; to the Frailty in Brazilian Older People Study), classified as NF, PF and FF (Fried´s frailty phenotype) and, in relation to fast gait speed (≥ 0.8m/s) and slow (< 0.8m/s). Age, sex, body mass index, muscular strength, advanced, instrumental and basic activities of daily living, falls, fear of falling and depressive symptoms were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis investigated associations between variables. The proportion of the slow elderly increased with fragility (NF = 12.39%, PF = 37.56%, FF = 88.83%, p < 0.01). Be woman, performance in activities of daily living, muscle strength and fall were associated with fragility syndrome. The association between frailty and adverse health outcomes reinforces its primacy as an indicator of the functional health of the elderly. Functional capacity, muscular strength, and falls should be evaluated considering their potential for reversibility.
Highlights
The Frailty Syndrome (FS) is able to predict adverse health outcomes
The association between frailty and adverse health outcomes reinforces its primacy as an indicator of the functional health of the elderly
The frailty phenotype, an operational definition proposed by Fried et al.[5], was created with the purpose to translate the manifestations of the frailty cycle, consisting of weight loss, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, muscle weakness and slow gait
Summary
The Frailty Syndrome (FS) is able to predict adverse health outcomes. The frail elderly have a greater chance of developing disability, being hospitalized or institutionalized, experiencing recurrent falls and death[1,2]. The frailty phenotype, an operational definition proposed by Fried et al.[5], was created with the purpose to translate the manifestations of the frailty cycle, consisting of weight loss, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, muscle weakness and slow gait. It classifies the elderly as frailty, pre-frailty and not frailty, according to the number of positive items[5]
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