Frailty Syndrome In Older Adults Research Articles

Obesity and Aging: Optimizing Health at the Intersection of Ageism and Weight Bias

Obesity is a chronic and complex disease that can negatively impact health, functioning and quality of life. In the past decade, obesity's largest prevalence growth occurred in older adults, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities. By the year 2030, an estimated 50% of the population over 65 is likely to be living with obesity. Until recently, little attention has been given to obesity as a chronic disease, and those living with obesity have encountered challenges accessing high quality medical care. Despite growing evidence for bariatric and obesity medicine, these treatments remain inaccessible for most patients, especially for older adults. Obesity research focused on older adults has been very limited and ideal weight standards for older adults are more controversial, especially in later life where frailty and sarcopenia may develop. As concerns about the public health effects of obesity have risen in the U.S., so too have negative and stigmatized views of individuals with obesity. Weight stigma has serious negative emotional and physical health consequences including low self-esteem, negative body image, engagement in disordered eating patterns, reduced physical activity and may promote weight gain. Older adults with obesity may encounter the double stigma of both ageism and weight bias, which are two of the most socially acceptable forms of bias and discrimination in the U.S. This interactive session will focus on three areas related to obesity and older adults. Through case examples, small and large group discussions, the presenters will: i) explore potential weight bias amongst participants and discuss strategies to mitigate this bias in working with older adults; ii) discuss complex connections between obesity and frailty syndrome in older adults, and the risks associated with weight loss in later life; iii) introduce evidence-based assessment and treatment recommendations for older adults interested in obesity treatment. This session will focus on the role of psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians in the care of older patients with co-morbid obesity and mental health disorders. Also, presenters will discuss the importance of increasing awareness, advocacy, and practical strategies to combat the impact of weight bias and ageism in healthcare settings. Ultimately, the goal is to raise awareness of this complex problem and provide clinically helpful information to improve care for older patients with obesity. This symposium is sponsored by the AAGP's IDEA committee.

Relationship between measures provided by smartwatches and identification of frailty syndrome in older adults: a scoping review

Resumo Objetivo Esta Revisão de Escopo teve como objetivo descrever e mapear as medidas disponibilizadas pelos smartwatches como ferramenta para identificação da Síndrome de Fragilidade em idosos. Métodos Foram incluídos estudos publicados em qualquer idioma, sem restrição de data de publicação, que descrevessem o uso de medidas fornecidas por smartwatches na avaliação da Síndrome de Fragilidade e/ou seus critérios em idosos. Descritores em inglês para smartwatches, smartbands, Síndrome da Fragilidade e envelhecimento foram utilizados para desenvolver uma estratégia de busca abrangente, que foi então aplicada para pesquisar nas seguintes bases de dados: COCHRANE LIBRARY, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PUBMED/MEDLINE, LILACS, WEB OF SCIENCE e PEDRO. Resultados A busca inicial identificou um total de 156 artigos e foram identificados 2 artigos a partir da busca manual nas referências dos estudos elegíveis. Em seguida, foram incluídos 4 estudos que utilizaram medidas diárias de contagem de passos para síntese descritiva, e três dos quatro também utilizaram dados relacionados ao sono e FC para avaliar a fragilidade em idosos. Os resultados obtidos nesta revisão indicam que parâmetros derivados de smartwatches têm sido utilizados para identificar estágios de fragilidade em diferentes ambientes, sendo a maioria dos estudos associados a outras condições clínicas. Conclusão Os smartwatches são uma excelente ferramenta de monitoramento de fragilidade por meio de medições diárias de contagem de passos, dados de sono e frequência cardíaca. Os resultados obtidos com o uso desses dispositivos podem sugerir uma avaliação mais ampla dos idosos que enfrentam risco aumentado de desenvolver a Síndrome da Fragilidade.

Relação entre medidas fornecidas por smartwatches e a identificação de síndrome da fragilidade em idosos: revisão de escopo

Abstract Objective This scoping review aimed to describe and map the measures provided by smartwatches as a tool for identifying Frailty Syndrome in older adults. Methods Studies published in any language, without publication date restrictions, that described the use of measures provided by smartwatches in evaluating or identifying Frailty Syndrome and/or its criteria in older adults were included. English descriptors for smartwatches, smartbands, Frailty Syndrome and Older Adults were used to develop a comprehensive search strategy, which was then applied to search the following databases: COCHRANE LIBRARY, EMBASE, SCOPUS, PUBMED/MEDLINE, LILACS, WEB OF SCIENCE and PEDRO. Results The initial search identified a total of 156 articles and 2 articles were identified from the manual search in the references of eligible studies. Next, 4 studies that used daily step count measurements for descriptive synthesis were included, and three of the four also used sleep and heart rate data to assess frailty in older adults. The results obtained in this review indicate that parameters derived from smartwatches have been used to identify stages of frailty in different areas, with the majority of studies being associated with other clinical conditions. Conclusion Smartwatches are an excellent frailty monitoring tool through daily measurements of step count, sleep data and heart rate. The results obtained with the use of these devices may suggest a broader evaluation of older adults who face an increased risk of developing Frailty Syndrome.

Gut microbiota influence frailty syndrome in older adults: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

Frailty syndrome denotes a decreased capacity of the body to maintain the homeostasis and stress of the internal environment, which simultaneously increases the risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults, including disability, hospitalization, falls, and death. To promote healthy aging, we should find strategies to cope with frailty. However, the pathogenesis of frailty syndrome is not yet clear. Recent studies have shown that the diversity, composition, and metabolites of gut microbiota significantly changed in older adults with frailty. In addition, several frailty symptoms were alleviated by adjusting gut microbiota with prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiosis. Therefore, we attempt to explore the pathogenesis of frailty syndrome in older people from gut microbiota and summarize the existing interventions for frailty syndrome targeting gut microbiota, with the aim of providing timely and necessary interventions and assistance for older adults with frailty.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Identification and Diagnosis of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: Scoping Review.

Frailty syndrome (FS) is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases, which is associated with lower physical and mental capacities in older adults. FS diagnosis is mostly focused on biological variables; however, it is likely that this diagnosis could fail owing to the high biological variability in this syndrome. Therefore, artificial intelligence (AI) could be a potential strategy to identify and diagnose this complex and multifactorial geriatric syndrome. The objective of this scoping review was to analyze the existing scientific evidence on the use of AI for the identification and diagnosis of FS in older adults, as well as to identify which model provides enhanced accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). A search was conducted using PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines on various databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The search strategy followed Population/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) criteria with the population being older adults; intervention being AI; comparison being compared or not to other diagnostic methods; and outcome being FS with reported sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, or AUC values. The results were synthesized through information extraction and are presented in tables. We identified 26 studies that met the inclusion criteria, 6 of which had a data set over 2000 and 3 with data sets below 100. Machine learning was the most widely used type of AI, employed in 18 studies. Moreover, of the 26 included studies, 9 used clinical data, with clinical histories being the most frequently used data type in this category. The remaining 17 studies used nonclinical data, most frequently involving activity monitoring using an inertial sensor in clinical and nonclinical contexts. Regarding the performance of each AI model, 10 studies achieved a value of precision, sensitivity, specificity, or AUC ≥90. The findings of this scoping review clarify the overall status of recent studies using AI to identify and diagnose FS. Moreover, the findings show that the combined use of AI using clinical data along with nonclinical information such as the kinematics of inertial sensors that monitor activities in a nonclinical context could be an appropriate tool for the identification and diagnosis of FS. Nevertheless, some possible limitations of the evidence included in the review could be small sample sizes, heterogeneity of study designs, and lack of standardization in the AI models and diagnostic criteria used across studies. Future research is needed to validate AI systems with diverse data sources for diagnosing FS. AI should be used as a decision support tool for identifying FS, with data quality and privacy addressed, and the tool should be regularly monitored for performance after being integrated in clinical practice.

Factors associated with frailty syndrome in older adults with three- and four-criteria clustering

This study aimed to identify the main clusters of diagnostic criteria pertaining to frailty syndrome as well as the factors associated with the occurrence of frailty without diagnostic criteria clusters and with clusters of three and four criteria. This is a cross-sectional study, carried out with 216 older adults. In order to determine the dependent variable, a combination of the following criteria for frailty syndrome diagnostic criteria was used: unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, muscle weakness, a low level of physical activity, and a slow gait speed. There were different clusters of Frailty Syndrome diagnostic criteria and were associated with Frailty with clustering of three criteria, age group ≥80 years and negative self-perception of health and Frailty with clustering of four criteria, age group ≥80 years and polypharmacy use. Age, self-perception of health, and polypharmacy can be assessed to target different intervention plans in the frail older adult population.

Working with Patients with Obesity: Addressing Weight Stigma, Frailty and Obesity Medicine Updates

Obesity is a chronic and complex disease that can negatively impact health, functioning and quality of life. In the past decade, obesity prevalence's largest growth occurred in older adults, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities. By the year 2030, an estimated 50% of the population over 65 is likely to be obese. Until recently, little attention has been given to obesity as a chronic disease, and those living with obesity encounter challenges accessing high quality medical care. Despite growing evidence for bariatric and obesity medicine, these treatments remain inaccessible for most patients. Obesity medicine is a newer and growing field, yet research that is focused on older adults with obesity lags behind. This symposium will focus on three areas related to obesity and older adults. Dr. Gentry will discuss weight stigma, often encountered by patients with obesity in the healthcare setting, and its impact on emotional and physical health. Cases and group discussion will be used to explore potential weight bias amongst participants and discuss strategies to mitigate this bias in working with older adults. Dr. Beito will review the complex connections between obesity and frailty syndrome in older adults. This session will engage the audience with case examples focusing on evidence-based treatment recommendations to help those individuals experiencing both obesity and frailty syndrome. Dr. Boyle will review the evaluation of patients with concerns about obesity, focusing on the potential role of psychiatrists and other mental health providers. Non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic tools will be discussed so psychiatrists and mental health providers can consider options to implement in one's own practice or to refer patients for weight management services. Ultimately, the goal is to raise awareness of this complex problem and provide clinically helpful information to improve care for older patients with obesity.This symposium is sponsored by the AAGP's IDEA committee.

Association between Immunosenescence, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults

Aging is associated with changes in the immune system, increased inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. The relationship between these phenomena and the clinical phenotype of frailty is unclear. Here, we evaluated the immune phenotypes, T cell functions and mitochondrial functions of immune cells in frail and robust older subjects. We enrolled 20 frail subjects age- and gender-matched with 20 robust controls, and T cell phenotype, response to immune stimulation, cytokine production and immune cell mitochondrial function were assessed. Our results showed that numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were decreased in frail subjects, without impairment to their ratios. Memory and naïve T cells were not significantly affected by frailty, whereas the expression of CD28 but not that of ICOS was decreased in T cells from frail subjects. T cells from robust subjects produced more IL-17 after CD28 stimulation. Levels of serum cytokines were similar in frail subjects and controls. Mitochondrial bioenergetics and ATP levels were significantly lower in immune cells from frail subjects. In conclusion, we suggest that changes in T cell profiles are associated with aging rather than with frailty syndrome; however, changes in T cell response to immune stimuli and reduced mitochondrial activity in immune cells may be considered hallmarks of frailty.

Association of Newly Diagnosed Hypertension and Polypharmacy with Frailty in a Tertiary Hospital Patients from Maracaibo City, Venezuela.

As a syndrome of physiological vulnerability and multifactorial progressive decline tightly related to age, frailty has been associated with several illnesses, and in particular cardiovascular disease. To assess the factors associated with the frailty syndrome in older adults evaluated in the outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital from Maracaibo city, Venezuela. An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was performed on subjects of both genders, over 60 years old that went to the Internal Medicine outpatient clinic of the Hospital General del Sur "Dr. Pedro Iturbe" from Maracaibo city, Venezuela. Sampling was performed via a non-probabilistic, intentional method. For each subject with frailty or pre-frailty, a control subject was selected in a 1:1 ratio according to gender; several risk factors were interrogated. The state of frailty was determined through the FRAIL scale. Of the 201 assessed patients, 49.3% (n=99) were non-frail, 19.9% (n=40) were pre-frail and 30.8% (n=62) were frail. The population's overall age was 68.8±6.8 in non-frails, 69.1±7.7 in pre-frails, and 68.6±7.1 in frails. In the multivariate analysis, subjects with frailty and pre-frailty were most likely to be receiving polypharmacy (OR: 2.36, CI95%: 1.05-5.37; P=0.04) and have hypertension during the study (OR: 10.19, CI95%: 3.86-26.89; P<0.01). The newly diagnosed hypertension and presence of polypharmacy were the factors most associated with frailty and pre-frailty in older adults evaluated in a tertiary hospital from Maracaibo city, Venezuela.

Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Diseases-What Do We Know and What Requires Further Research?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) affect 60% of people over 60 years of age and are one of the main causes of death in the world. Diagnosed cardiovascular disease also triples the likelihood of Frailty syndrome (FS). FS has become increasingly relevant in cardiology and cardiac surgery and occurs in a significant number of patients with CVD, with prevalence ranging from 25% to 62%. Viewed in a multidimensional, biopsychosocial perspective, FS increases a patient’s vulnerability, making them susceptible to several adverse clinical outcomes. Frailty syndrome also is a predictor of mortality in patients with CVD regardless of age, severity of disease, multi-morbidity, and disability. Frailty syndrome potentially can be prevented in patients with CVD and its early identification is important to avoid the development of disability, dependence on others and reduced quality of life. The aim of this paper is to show the relationship between FS and specific CVDs (coronary artery disease, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, heart failure) and cardiac procedures (device implantation, cardiac surgery, and transcatheter aortic valve implantation). Furthermore, we highlight those areas that require further research to fully understand the relationship between FS and CVD and to be able to minimize or prevent its adverse effects.

Relationship between Physical Performance and Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: The Mediating Role of Physical Activity, Sedentary Time and Body Composition.

The objectives were to clarify whether the relationship between physical performance and frailty was independently and jointly mediated by movement behaviors and body composition. We analyzed 871 older adults (476 women) from The Toledo Study for Healthy Aging. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) and fat index (FI) were determined using bone densitometry. Sedentary time (ST) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were assessed using accelerometry. The Frailty Trait Scale and The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) were used to evaluate frailty and physical performance, respectively. Simple and multiple mediation analyses were carried out to determine the role of movement behaviors and body composition, adjusted for potential confounders. ST and MVPA acted independently as mediators in the relationship between SPPB and frailty (0.06% for ST and 16.89% for MVPA). FI also acted as an independent mediator in the same relationship (36.47%), while the mediation role of SMI was not significant. MVPA and FI both acted jointly as mediators in this previous relationship explaining 58.15% of the model. Our data support the fact that interventions should simultaneously encourage the promotion of MVPA and strategies to decrease the FI in order to prevent or treat frailty through physical performance improvement.

Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults and Related Sociodemographic Factors in the North of Iran: A Population-Based Study

Background: The global incidence rate of frailty syndrome among older adults aged 60 and over has been estimated to be 43.4 cases per 1000 persons/years. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pre-frailty and frailty syndromes in community-dwelling older adults and assess the correlated sociodemographic factors. Methods: All elderly people recruited in the second phase of the Amirkola Health and Ageing Cohort Project, including 2135 older adults aged ≥60 years living in Amirkola, North of Iran, were invited to participate in this study using the census method. The standard "FRAIL" scale was used to assess the frailty syndrome. The individuals who obtained a score of three or more and one or two were classified as frail and pre-frail cases, respectively. Results: Totally, 2010 older adults with a mean age of 70.41±7.65 years were included in this study. Out of them, 672 (33.4%; 95% CI: 31.37-35.50%) cases met the criteria for frailty syndrome, and 874 (43.5%) individuals were regarded as pre-frail. The prevalence of frailty was significantly higher in females (50.8%; 95% CI: 47.58-54.05%), compared to males (18.7%; 95% CI: 16.41-21.05%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age ≥85 (OR=7.27; 95% CI: 4.12-24.46) and female gender (OR=2.67; 95% CI: 2.30-9.95) had the highest effect on frailty in older adults. Conclusion: One out of every three elderly people (aged ≥60) in Amirkola, North of Iran, had frailty syndrome. Older age, female gender, lower education level, low level of satisfaction with income, marital status (single), living alone, and unemployment increased the risk of frailty in older adults.

Peak Expiratory Flow as an Index of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

to compare the obtained and predicted peak expiratory flow (PEF) values between frail, pre-frail, and non-frail older adults; verify the association between PEF and FS; and establish cut-off points for PEF as determinants of frailty syndrome (FS). Cross-sectional study. Macapá, Amapá, Brazil. Community-based study community-dwelling older people. PEF was evaluated using a peak-flow meter and FS was evaluated using Fried's frailty phenotype. The statistical analyses performed included a multinomial logistic regression model and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves to establish cut-off points for discriminating FS. 409 older adults with a mean age of 70.09±7.22 years were evaluated; of these, 58.7% were pre-frail, and 12.7% were frail. PEF was lower in frail than in pre-frail participants, and lower in pre-frail than in non-frail. Frail and pre-frail older adults obtained lower PEF values than predicted. PEF (% Predicted) was inversely associated with frailty and pre-frailty even after adjustment. Cut-off points were established to discriminate the presence of frailty in older men (PEF≤350L/min; AUC=0.669; sensitivity=76.92%; specificity=52%) and women (PEF≤220L/min; AUC=0.597; sensitivity=71.79%; specificity=46.98%). Frail and pre-frail older adults presented significantly lower PEF than non-frail participants, and these values were lower than predicted. PEF was inversely associated with frailty and pre-frailty. PEF cut-off points can be used as a complementary method to indicate frailty in community-dwelling older adults.

Peak Expiratory Flow as an Index of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Peak Expiratory Flow as an Index of Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Factors Associated with Frailty Syndrome in Older Adults.

Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome, characterized by a decrease in energy reserve and stress resistance, resulting in an accumulated decline of multiple physiological systems and greater vulnerability. Frailty syndrome has a multifactorial etiology involving a biological basis associated with sociobehavioral factors. We verify the association of frailty syndrome with family functionality level, nutritional status and medication adherence in older adults. Observational and analytical study. Conducted at ambulatory the university hospital, with patients aged 60 years or older. Cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Body Mass Index, BMI; the 5-item FRAIL scale was used for frailty screening; family functioning was assessed using the Family APGAR Index, which evaluates Adaptability, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve; Self-reported medication adherence was measured by the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). The study involved 308 older adults, with a mean age of 70.40 years, There was an association between frailty and highly dysfunctional family with an OR of 5.9 (95% CI 1.9-18.5)(p<0.05), nutritional risk assessed by BMI, where low weight presented an OR of 2.5 (95% CI 1.1-5.8) and obesity an OR of 2.8 (95% CI 1.1-7.0)(P <0.05) and a nutritional risk assessed by MNA with an OR 6.3(95% CI 1.9-20.4) and low medication adherence with an OR of 8.9 (95% CI, 3.6-21.6)(P = 0.01). Frailty syndrome is associated with high levels of family dysfunction, nutritional risk and poor medication adherence amongst older people.

The frailty syndrome in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and associated factors

Abstract Objective: To compare clinical-functional factors among groups in relation to the frailty syndrome (pre-frail and frail) phenotype profile in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM 2). Methods: A descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was performed. A total of 113 diabetic older adults of both sexes were evaluated in terms of their personal, socio-demographic, clinical-functional, mental, cognitive and fragility phenotype data. The Chi-square test and a logistic regression model were used. Results: The mean age was 68.66±6.62 years, and the sample was mostly female (61.9%), illiterate or with an incomplete primary education (60.2%), pre-frail (52.2%), sedentary (79.6%), and had been diagnosed with DM2 for more than 5 years (58.3%). There was a significant association between “pre-frail and frail” individuals and schooling (p=0.004), social participation (p=0.004), a subjective perception of vision (p=0.004), glycated hemoglobin (p=0.036), limb pain (p=0.012), depressive symptoms (p=0.002) and mobility (p=0.004). The logistic regression model showed an accuracy of 93.6% and the significant variables were education (p=0.039), pain in the lower limbs (p=0.025) and risk of falls (p=0.033). Conclusion: among all the factors related to the “pre-frail” and “frail” phenotype, schooling, pain in the lower limbs and mobility were most related to the worsening of the syndrome and its progress.

Síndrome de fragilidad y factores asociados en adulto mayor indígena de Nariño, Colombia

IntroductionThe identification of pre-frailty and frailty syndrome in older adults is important due to its association with the development of disability. It is a priority problem for health systems and quality of life of older adults, caregivers, and relatives. ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and associated factors of pre-frailty and frailty syndrome in indigenous older adults from Colombia. Material and methodA cross-sectional study was conducted that included 540 indigenous over 60 years of age who belong to the 13 sub-regions of the Obando province in Nariño, Colombia. The prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty syndrome was determined, we evaluated sociodemographic variables, cognitive deterioration, functionality, and the presence of different morbidities. Associations were estimated using multivariate multinomial logistic regression models. ResultsThe mean age was 70.68 (SD 6.86). The prevalence of frailty syndrome was 32.4%, and pre-frailty syndrome was 58.7%. Having depressive symptoms, those with altered functional dependence according to the Barthel index, and those who reported having arthrosis or arthritis, showed an association with frailty syndrome. ConclusionThis analysis shows a high prevalence of frailty syndrome in the population of indigenous older adults. This was similar to that reported in other countries. Frailty has a great impact on health due to its strong association with musculoskeletal diseases, depression, and disability.

Instruments for the detection of frailty syndrome in older adults: A systematic review.

Frailty is a dynamic process in which there is a reduction in the physical, psychological and/or social function associated with aging. The aim of this study was to identify instruments for the detection of frailty in older adults, characterizing their components, application scenarios, ability to identify pre-frailty and clinimetric properties evaluated. The study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), under registration number CRD42017039318. A total of 14 electronic sources were searched to identify studies that investigated instruments for the detection of frailty or that presented the construction and/or clinimetric evaluation of the instrument, according to criteria established by the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). 96 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis: 51 instruments for the detection of frailty were identified, with predominantly physical domains; 40 were constructed and/or validated for use in the older adult community population, 28 only highlighted the distinction between frail and non-frail individuals and 23 presented three or more levels of frailty. The FRAGIRE, FRAIL Scale, Edmonton Frail Scale and IVCF-20 instruments were the most frequently analyzed in relation to clinimetric properties. It was concluded that: (I) there is a large number of instruments for measuring the same construct, which makes it difficult for researchers and clinicians to choose the most appropriate; (II) the FRAGIRE and CFAI stand out due to their multidimensional aspects, including an environmental assessment; however, (III) the need for standardization of the scales was identified, since the use of different instruments in clinical trials may prevent the comparability of the results in systematic reviews and; (IV) considering the different instruments identified in this review, the choice of researchers/clinicians should be guided by the issues related to the translation and validation for their location and the suitability for their context.

Frailty syndrome in older adults from the community and long-term care institutions: an exploratory analysis

Frailty syndrome in older adults from the community and long-term care institutions: an exploratory analysis

Analysis of the characteristics and components for the frailty syndrome in older adults from central Chile. The PIEI-ES study

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence and to characterize frailty in elderly subjects in four urban provincial capitals and two rural communes from Maule Region in Chile. DesignCross-sectional study. Participants1205 participants aged 65 and older. MethodsThe dataset was obtained from the PIEI-ES Study. Frailty syndrome was determined according to the criteria proposed by Fried. Data collection included questionnaires. ResultsThe study sample included 1205 individuals, of which 68% were females. Mean age was 73 years. The overall prevalence of frailty was 24.6%. Increase prevalence of frailty was observed in people 80 years old and older, both in women and men. Using adjusted logistic regression, advanced frailty state was more likely to occur in subjects with cognitive impairment. ConclusionThis study provides evidence that frailty may be related with cognitive functioning, educational level and nutritional status in older adults.