High Prevalence Of Frailty Research Articles

P1274 The Astur-Frailty-IBD Study: Assessment of Frailty in elderly IBD patients and comparison of four frailty scores.

Abstract Background The prevalence of older adults with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is increasing. The European Crohn's and Colitis Organization recommends that frailty should be considered in management decision-making in elderly IBD patients rather than just chronological age. However, there is no “gold standard” tool for the assessment of frailty in IBD. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of frailty using 4 frailty scales in IBD and to evaluate the agreement between them. Methods Astur-Frailty-IBD study, a multicentre prospective study of elderly IBD patients attended at three hospitals in Asturias. We recruited all consecutive IBD patients ≥ 60 years during outpatient visits between March 1 and June 30, 2024. Four frailty scales were used: Fried Frailty Phenotype, FRAIL Scale, Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and SHARE Frailty Instrument (SHARE-FI). The classification criteria were: Fried and FRAIL (0: non-frail; 1-2: prefrail; ≥ 3: frail); CFS (1-3: non-frail; 4: prefrail; ≥ 5: frail). In SHARE-FI, we used a validated calculator that provides a continuous frailty score and enables automatic classification into the same frailty categories. All the patients were surveyed by face-to-face questionaries. Handgrip strength was measured using the same dynamometer. The agreement between the four scales was measured with weighted Kappa. Results A total of 612 IBD patients (median age 68.8 years, 50.2% females, 56.4% Crohn’s disease) were included. Depending on the scale, the prevalence of frailty varied from 4.4% (FRAIL), 4.6% (CFS), 12.4% (SHARE-FI) up to 16.8% (Fried) (figure 1). Twenty-seven patients were classified as frail by at least one scale. The agreement between frailty scales was showed in table 1. SHARE-FI and Fried showed the highest agreement in classifying into three categories (0.45 Kappa - moderate), followed by FRAIL and Fried (0.42 kappa). The agreement between all the scales used was 0.25 Fleiss' Kappa (fair). Subsequently, we assess the agreement of the scales considering two categories: non-frail and risk of frailty (prefrail + frail). The kappa coefficient ranged from 0.47 (moderate) for FRAIL and Fried to 0.2 for CFS and Fried. Taking the Fried scale as a reference, we found that both SHARE-FI and FRAIL have a high specificity (94.7% and 92.7%), without good sensibility (53.5% and 62% respectively). Conclusion Elderly IBD patients are characterized by a high prevalence of frailty, although it differs depending on the frailty scale used. Our study shows at least a moderate level of agreement between Fried Frailty Phenotype and SHARE-FI. Further studies are needed to identify diagnostic criteria for frailty in IBD, as well as prospective studies focused on the impact of frailty in elderly IBD patients.

The simpler modified fried frailty scale predicts 2-year mortality in older adults with heart failure: a pilot study

ObjectiveThe Simpler Modified Fried Frailty Scale (SMFFS) has recently been developed from the original Fried scale to ease its use in clinical practice, by transforming the items requiring measurements into the self-reported inquiries. Its predictive validity needs to be clarified, especially in populations with a high prevalence of frailty, such as patients with heart failure (HF). Primary aim of this study is to find out the prevalence of frailty in older patients with HF by using SMFFS and show its concordance with other frailty assessment tools. Secondary aim is to reveal whether SMFFS is useful to predict mortality in follow-up.MethodThis is a prospective, follow-up study including older adults (≥ 65 years) with HF. SMFFS was used to assess frailty phenotype and presence of ≥ 3 items was accepted as frailty. FRAIL scale, the Study of Osteoporosis Fractures (SOF) index, and Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS) were alternatively used to study the correlation of SMFFS with different scales. Cox-regression analysis was performed to identify whether SMFFS-defined frailty could predict mortality in follow-up, with adjusting for a list of clinical characteristics and geriatric syndromes.FindingsAmong 101 patients with HF, 44 (42.8%) were female. Mean age was 75.8 ± 7.6 and frailty prevalence was 63.4% according to SMFFS. SMFFS showed a strong correlation with the other frailty scales. In a median follow-up of 759 days, cardiomegaly, increased pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and frailty defined by SMFFS were the only predictors of mortality in older adults with HF after adjustments for age, falls in the previous year, undernutrition, probable sarcopenia, functional impairments, and quality of life [HR (95% CI) were 3.88 (1.05–14.3), 1.05 (1.01–1.09), and 10.96 (1.07–112.05) (p = 0.027); for older age, PAP, and frailty, respectively].ConclusionsAs a self-reported screening tool, SMFFS was independently associated with mortality in a median follow-up of two years. Frailty assessment recommended by the guidelines for risk stratification in patients with HF seems to be more effectively integrated into routine HF practice with the use of the easy and practical SMFFS. Further large scale studies are needed to support the predictive validity of SMFFS in older patients with HF.

Association of Limited Health Literacy With Frailty, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Health Care Utilization Among Older Adults With Cancer: The Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation Registry.

Limited health literacy-ability to obtain, process, and understand health information-can hinder communication, access to medical treatment, and identification and management of comorbidities. Older adults have high rates of poor health literacy, but its role in aging-related outcomes among older adults with cancer is understudied. We included 876 older adults age 60 years and older with cancer from the Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation Registry completing self-reported geriatric assessment, including health literacy, at first visit to medical oncology. The exposure was limited health literacy. Outcomes were frailty, physical/mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and health care utilization. We used modified Poisson regression to examine the association of exposure on outcomes adjusting for age, race-ethnicity, sex, and cancer type/stage. Median age at enrollment was 68; 57.8% were male; 20.2% were non-Hispanic Black. The most prevalent cancers were advanced-stage (46.8% stage IV) colorectal (26.9%) and pancreatic (19.0%). Those with limited health literacy were older (70 v 68 years; P < .001), male (63.0% v 55.1%; P = .026), non-Hispanic Black (28.8% v 16.1%; P < .001), ≤high school educated (62.3% v 28.1%; P < .001), and retired/disabled (86.3% v 71.2%; P < .001). In multivariable analysis, limited health literacy was associated with higher prevalence of frailty (prevalence ratio [PR], 2.64 [95% CI, 2.15 to 3.26]), impaired physical (PR, 1.90 [95% CI, 1.59 to 2.27]) and mental (PR, 2.08 [95% CI, 1.76 to 2.47]) HRQOL, and hospitalization in the last year (PR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.10 to 1.48]) versus adequate health literacy. Older adults with cancer and limited health literacy had higher adjusted prevalence of frailty, impaired physical and mental HRQOL, and recent hospitalization. Interventions to address limited health literacy should be explored in this vulnerable and growing cancer population.

Prevalence, risks and outcomes of frailty in people experiencing homelessness: secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundFrailty describes age related lowered health resilience. People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are known to have poor health, with potential to become frail at a younger age. Previous estimates of frailty prevalence in PEH vary (16–55%) and remain poorly understood. This research determines the prevalence of frailty in PEH in England and explores associated factors. MethodsCross-sectional analysis of interviewer-led health needs audit survey data collected from PEH in England by Homeless Link (2015 to 2022). Adults who were homeless at time of survey or in the previous 12-months were included. A frailty index (FI) was created by (1) reviewing survey variables, (2) reaching expert consensus using modified Delphi, (3) following published guidance for FI creation (4) reviewing proposed FI, compared to existing published FIs. Input from people with lived experience of homelessness informed this process. Prevalence of frailty was calculated using the FI. Findings2288/2679 PEH were included in the analysis, 93·4% aged between 18–59 years, male:female ratio 3:1, predominantly white, heterosexual and UK nationals. Prevalence of frailty was 41·5% and pre-frailty was 43·8%. A high prevalence of frailty (23·0%) and pre-frailty (51·9%) was identified in 18–24-year-olds, which increased with age. Frailty was associated with experiences of incarceration and domestic violence (both p<0·001). Healthcare utilisation was greater amongst those who were frailer. InterpretationPrevalence of frailty in PEH is higher than reported in the comparably aged, general population and younger PEH are affected by frailty at levels typically associated with older adults. This is important because current services designed to address frailty are aimed at older, housed populations. To address frailty in this younger, homeless population, nutrition and addiction support may need consideration. Study strengths include large sample size and robust methods of FI creation. A limitation is the lack of a comparison group. FundingJD was funded by a Doctoral Research Fellowship from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), grant reference number NIHR302285. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Frailty in patients with ovarian cancer and the role of healthcare access, race, and ethnicity

ObjectiveOvarian cancer has poor 5-year survival, particularly among non-Hispanic (NH) Black patients. Efforts to identify patients at high-risk of functional limitations and frailty may improve outcomes. In this study, we examined how healthcare access (HCA) and race/ethnicity relate to frailty among patients with ovarian cancer. MethodsWe identified Hispanic, NH Black, and NH White patients diagnosed at ages ≥6 5 years with ovarian cancer between 2009 and 2015 using SEER-Medicare. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between HCA and race/ethnicity with pre- or post-diagnosis frailty, adjusting for age and comorbidities. ResultsA total of 6041 patients with ovarian cancer were included, including 91.8% NH White, 6.6% NH Black, and 1.7% Hispanic. Pre-diagnosis, 14.7% of patients were defined as frail (NH White: 14.3%; NH Black: 17.9%; Hispanic: 20.8%). Post-diagnosis, frailty prevalence increased to 58.8% (NH White: 58.2%; NH Black: 65.2%; Hispanic: 70.2%). No statistically significant associations were observed between race/ethnicity and pre- or post-diagnosis frailty in fully adjusted models. After adjustment for patient characteristics and healthcare accessibility and availability, higher healthcare affordability was associated with a decreased prevalence of pre-diagnosis frailty (PR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.8 5, 0.98). ConclusionsPatients with ovarian cancer have a high prevalence of frailty after diagnosis, particularly NH Black and Hispanic patients. Improving healthcare affordability may prevent or help manage frailty in Medicare patients, improve receipt of cancer treatment, and increase cancer survival.

6427 Impact of Adrenalectomy On Frailty And Muscle Function In Patients With Mild Autonomous Cortisol Secretion: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Abstract Disclosure: J. Saini: None. V. Fell: None. B. Atkinson: None. S. Achenbach: None. I. Bancos: None. Background: Patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) have a higher prevalence of frailty and reduced muscle strength as compared to patients with nonfunctioning adrenal adenomas or subjects without adrenal disorders. Objective: To determine the impact of adrenalectomy on frailty and parameters of functional strength in patients with MACS. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective longitudinal study of adults with MACS scheduled for adrenalectomy and referent subjects evaluated between 2018 and 2023. MACS was defined as serum cortisol&amp;gt;1.8 mcg/dL after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in patients with adrenal adenomas and no features of overt hypercortisolism. Referent subjects were included if they had abdominal imaging and had no adrenal disorders. Patients and referent subjects had a baseline and a follow-up evaluation at least 10 months later. Differences were assessed using paired t-tests for (1) Frailty Index (FI)--calculated using a questionnaire containing 47 variables on comorbidities, symptoms, and daily living activities (frailty defined as FI&amp;gt;0.25) (2) physical function assessed using handgrip strength (Jamar Plus digital hand dynamometer), timed up-and-go test (time taken to rise from a chair, walk to and from 3 m, and sit down), gait speed, 6-minute walk test, and (3) Advanced Glycation End (AGE) Product (using AGE reader). Results: We evaluated 41 patients before and after adrenalectomy, and 31 referent subjects at baseline and follow-up visit, at a similar interval (median 1.6, IQR 1.2-2.0 vs 1.5 years, IQR 1.0-2.2, P=0.759). While sex distributions were no different between the 2 groups (women, 66% vs 84%, P=0.086), patients with MACS were older than the referent group (median age 57.3, IQR 48.8-66.9 vs 49.0, IQR 41.7-57.9 years, P=0.005). Post-adrenalectomy, FI decreased by a mean of 0.057 (SD 0.08), P&amp;lt;0.001 in patients, and remained unchanged in the referent group. AGE decreased in patients by 0.148 (SD 0.45), P=0.04 but not in referent subjects (-0.047, SD 0.242, P=0.5). Patients demonstrated no improvement in parameters of muscle strength: gait speed (mean change 0.305 m/s, P=0.453), 6-minute walk test (mean change 16.4 meters, P=0.201), dominant (mean Z score change -0.055, P=0.72) and nondominant (mean Z score change -0.199, P=0.192) hand grip muscle strength. At follow-up, both patients (mean change 1.897 seconds, P&amp;lt;0.001) and referent subjects (mean change=1.475 seconds, P&amp;lt;0.001) demonstrated a deterioration on the timed up-and-go test. Conclusions: While no improvement was seen in the parameters of muscle strength, adrenalectomy improved the frailty index in patients with MACS. In addition, AGE, a biomarker associated with cardiovascular morbidity, decreased after adrenalectomy, suggesting a beneficial cardiovascular impact of MACS reversal. Presentation: 6/1/2024

A frailty census of older adults in the emergency department and acute inpatient settings of a model 4 hospital in the Mid-West of Ireland.

Frailty is a risk factor for presentation to the ED, in-hospital mortality, prolonged hospital stays and functional decline at discharge. Profiling the prevalence and level of frailty within the acute hospital setting is vital to ensure evidence-based practice and service development within the construct of frailty. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to establish the prevalence of frailty and co-morbidities among older adults in an acute hospital setting. Data collection was undertaken by clinical research nurses and advanced nurse practitioners experienced in assessing older adults. All patients aged ≥ 65years and admitted to a medical or surgical inpatient setting between 08:00 and 20:00 and who attended the ED over a 24-h period were screened using validated frailty and co-morbidity scales. Age and gender demographics, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), Charlson Co-morbidity Index (CCI) and admitting specialty (medical/surgical) were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to profile the cohort, and p values were calculated to ascertain the significance of results. Within a sample of 413 inpatients, 291 (70%) were ≥ 65years and therefore were included in the study.202 of these 291older adults(70%) were ≥ 75years. Frailty was investigated using validated clinical cut-offs on the CFS (not frail < 5; frail ≥ 5). Comorbidities were investigated using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (mild 1-2; moderate 3-4; severe ≥ 5). The median CFS was 6 indicating moderate frailty levels, and the median CCI score was 3 denoting moderate co-morbidity. In the inpatient cohort, 245 (84%) screened positive for frailty, while 223 (75%) had moderate-severe co-morbidity (CCI Mod 3-4, severe ≥ 5). No significant differences were observed across genders for CFS and CCI. In the ED, 81 patients who attended the ED were ≥ 65years. The median CFS was 6 (moderate frailty), and the median CCI was 5 (severe co-morbidity level). Seventy-four percent (60) of participants screened positively for frailty (CFS ≥ 5), and 31% (25) had a CFS of 7 or greater (severely frail). Ninety-six percent (78) of patients had a moderate-severe level of comorbidity. No significant associations were found between the CFS and CCI and ED participants age, gender, and medical/surgical speciality usage. There is a high prevalence of frailty and co-morbidity among older adults who present to the ED and require inpatient care. This may contribute to increased waiting times, lengths of stay, and the need for specialist intervention. With an increased focus on the integration of care for older adults across care transitions, there is a clear need for expansion of frailty-based services, staff training in frailty care and multidisciplinary team resources across the hospital and community setting.

The association between social vulnerability and geriatric assessment impairments among older adults with gastrointestinal cancers-The CARE Registry.

Older adults comprise the majority of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Geriatric assessments (GAs) are recommended for older adults with cancer in part to detect aging-related impairments (e.g., frailty) associated with early mortality. Social factors like social vulnerability may also influence aging-related impairments. However, the association between social vulnerability and aging outcomes among older adults with cancer is understudied. The authors included 908 older adults aged 60 years and older who were recently diagnosed with GI cancer undergoing GA at their first prechemotherapy visit to the University of Alabama at Birmingham oncology clinic. The primary exposure of interest was the social vulnerability index (SVI). Outcomes were frailty (frail vs. robust/prefrail) and total number of GA impairments (range, 0-13). The authors examined the association between SVI and outcomes using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation and generalized estimating equations. The median age at GA was 69 years (interquartile range, 64-75 years), 58.2% of patients were male, 22.6% were non-Hispanic Black, 29.1% had colorectal cancer, 28.2% had pancreatic cancer, and 70.3% had stage III/IV disease. Adjusting for age, sex, cancer type, and disease stage, each decile increase in the SVI was associated with an 8% higher prevalence of frailty (prevalence ratio, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.11) and a 4% higher average count of total GA impairments (risk ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.06). The results were attenuated after further adjustment for race and education. Greater social vulnerability was associated with a higher prevalence of frailty and an increasing average number of GA impairments among older adults with GI cancers before systemic treatment. Intervening on social vulnerability may be a target for improving the risk of frailty and GA impairments, but associations of race and education should be further evaluated.

Role of FIRE-MADE FI for diagnosing frailty in central rural India and its comparison with LASA FI.

An aging population ultimately has deprived physiological stores making them vulnerable for development of a syndrome called frailty, which presents with a cumulative decrease in tolerance, immunity, vision, balance, organ functions, health, and independent living. All these result in rising prevalence of frailty and its components, along with burden of disease, dependence, and health care cost. Thus, early estimation and assessment and interventions to correct it mark the mile stone in geriatric medicine. The present study was conducted with an aim to compare and correlate FIRE-MADE (Frailty Index in Rural Elderly - Mental status, Activities of daily living, Depression, and Events) FI (frailty index) with LASA (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam) FI in central rural India's geriatric population. A cross-sectional study for assessment of frailty in the geriatric population of central rural India, reporting to the medicine department of a tertiary hospital, situated at Wardha district, by using FIRE-MADE and LASA FI was undertaken. Their scores were compared. The efficiency of FIRE-MADE FI in comparison with LASA FI was calculated. A frailty threshold of ≥ 0.25 is considered for diagnosing frailty. Standard descriptive and inferential statistics were used to evaluate all parametric and non-parametric data. Out of 250 geriatric people, 224 (89.6%) were frail according to LASA FI and 204 (81.6%) were frail according to FIRE-MADE FI. As compared to LASA FI, FIRE-MADE FI was 91.07% sensitive and 73.08% specific, with a positive predictive value of 96.68% and a diagnostic accuracy of 89.20%. The Indian rural population of central India has high prevalence of frailty. FIRE-MADE FI can be used as a potential, effective, and validated tool for early diagnosing and management of frailty. Among the parameters of FIRE-MADE FI, IHD was the most important contributing factor for development of frailty, followed by cognitive impairment, polypharmacy, and remaining factors mentioned in FIRE-MADE FI.

Fragilidad del adulto mayor con enfermedad renal crónica. Un estudio observacional de centro único

Introduction: Frailty in the elderly (AM) increases morbidity and mortality. This condition is highly prevalent in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and, together with frailty, greatly affects physical, cognitive, and emotional capacity. The study aimed to determine frailty in older adults with CKD in a reference center in Cuenca-Ecuador. Methods: The present observational study was conducted at the “José Carrasco Arteaga” Hospital from September 2020 to April 2021. Older adults with a diagnosis of CKD were included; patients with disabilities, severe cognitive impairment, and those with palliative care were excluded. The direct source variables are demographic, clinical, physical activity, functional capacity, mood, mental state, and frailty. The sample was probabilistic. The Chi2 test is used to compare percentages. Results: 79 cases are analyzed. The MA had 38% frailty, 36.7% were pre-frail, and 25.3% were robust. A more significant proportion of 'young' AM was observed in patients classified as robust. A more substantial proportion of robust patients were receiving clinical treatment, while patients in the hemodialysis program were classified as frail. The most significant proportion of robust patients had mild degrees of renal failure, while frail patients were classified as CKD grades 4 and 5. Physical activity was active primarily in robust patients and mostly passive in patients with frailty. Conclusion: Conclusion: there is a high prevalence of frailty in this population group, especially in women and those between 75 and 85 years old. The results suggest that CKD in older adults is associated with a higher risk of frailty, dependence, and comorbidities, which underlines the importance of implementing multidisciplinary and personalized interventions to improve the quality of life and prognosis of these patients.

Long-term insulin resistance is associated with frailty, frailty progression, and cardiovascular disease.

Insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with an increased risk of frailty, and frailty is associated with cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. We aim to investigate the impact of long-term insulin resistance trajectories on future frailty and cardiovascular risk among young adults. In total, 3168 participants with a 30-year follow-up period. The baseline period covered the first 15years as the exposure period. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and three trajectories (low, moderate, and high) were constructed. The subsequent 15years constituted the event accrual period. Frailty was assessed using a deficit accumulation mode, and cardiovascular outcomes were obtained from the 15-year event accrual period. The mean age of all 3168 participants was 41.0 (37.0-43.0) years, with 1750 (55.2%) being women. Participants in the high level of insulin resistance trajectory had an increased prevalence of frailty (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05-2.30, P=0.028). Although no statistically significant associations were observed after full adjustment, single-factor analysis indicated association between the moderate and high trajectories and frailty progression. Additionally, participants with high level of insulin resistance trajectory were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke. A notable correlation between HOMA-IR trajectory and cardiovascular diseases was still discernible within the subgroup where the frailty index ≥0.12 (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.17-3.83, P=0.013) (P for interaction >0.05). Long-term high level of insulin resistance is associated with high prevalence of frailty, and an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Emphasizing the importance of early prevention and intervention for abnormal glucose metabolism in young adults to prevent frailty and cardiovascular disease.

Regional variation in prevalence of frailty in India: Evidence from longitudinal ageing study in India (LASI) wave-1.

Background & objectives Frailty is a geriatric syndrome with clinical and public health implications. It represents the state of increased vulnerability. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty by demographic characteristics and geographical regions in India. Furthermore, it also aimed to examine the association of this prevalence with selected health outcomes using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI). Methods This is a secondary analysis of LASI wave-1 data. A total of 26,058 respondents aged ≥60 yr were included for analysis. Frailty was assessed using Fried's frailty phenotype, including slowness, shrinking, low physical activity, weakness, and low endurance. Descriptive statistics were used to study frailty distribution. The odds ratio (OR) of health events across the frailty categories was computed using ordinal logistic regression. Results The findings of this study suggest that the prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was 29.2 and 58.8 per cent, respectively. The prevalence of frailty was higher among women (37.3%), illiterate (37%) and rural residents (31%). It ranged between 14.5 per cent in Uttarakhand and 41.3 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh. Frailty was strongly associated with depression [OR: 2.09, Confidence Interval (CI): 1.98-2.21] and activities of daily living (ADL) difficulty (OR: 1.75, CI: 1.64-1.86). Higher odds were reported for fracture (OR: 1.24, CI: 1.01-1.51) and multimorbidity (OR: 1.18, CI: 1.04-1.33) among frailty. Interpretation & conclusions The heterogeneity of frailty prevalence across States indicates the need for population-specific strategies. A sharp age-related increase in prevalence highlights the need for preventive measures. Furthermore, the high prevalence of frailty among women, illiterate and rural residents indicates the target population for receiving preventive interventions. Lastly, a heterogeneity in frailty prevalence across different States indicates the scope for region-specific programmes.

Unveiling the multi-dimensional frailty network among older cancer survivors in China: A network analysis study

IntroductionFrailty has a significant impact on the overall quality of life of older cancer survivors, but the relationships among frailty symptoms are not well understood. This study aims to explore the specific associations among multidimensional symptoms of frailty among older cancer survivors by employing network analysis to provide supportive evidence for targeted interventions in the future. Materials and MethodsData were obtained by cluster sampling from three large Grade-A tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China, and collected through face-to-face interviews by trained investigators. We included patients who were diagnosed with a solid malignant tumor at the age of 60 years or older. Frailty indicators were measured by the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI) and analyzed primarily through network analysis, including network estimation, centrality, and stability analysis. The relative importance of a node in a network was tested by centrality analyses, and Spearman correlations were applied to estimate the relationships between symptom pairs (symptom score) and symptom clusters (standardized symptom score) in the symptom network. In terms of centrality, the indexes of strength, closeness, and betweenness were adopted to measure the importance of nodes. ResultsFive hundred and eight older cancer survivors were included, with an average age of 68.4 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.4), and a higher proportion were male (n = 307[60.4%]). The prevalence of frailty among older cancer survivors was 58.9% (n = 299), with a mean GFI score of 4.46 (SD = 2.87). The strongest edge was between “dressing and undressing” and “going to the toilet” (r = 0.58). The nodes with the higher strength centrality were “going to the toilet” (rS=1.09), “walking around outside” (rS=0.97), and “part of social network” (rS=0.96); and the nodes with the higher closeness centrality were “mark physical fitness” (rC=0.005), “calm and relaxed” (rC=0.005), and “nervous or downhearted” (rC=0.005). DiscussionThis study demonstrated that older cancer survivors in China have a high prevalence of frailty, with self-care and social participation-related symptoms playing a key role in the multidimensional network of frailty symptoms. Psychological symptoms can rapidly influence other symptoms within this network. Therefore, prioritizing psychological symptoms in the assessment of older adults with cancer is essential for effective frailty management.

Frailty and falls in community-dwelling older adults in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review

PurposeFrailty and falls are two major health challenges in older adults, but little is known about their levels and interactions in community-dwelling older adults in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the literature on frailty and falls with respect to their definitions, measurement methods, associated factors, and interactions in this setting. MethodsA systematic search of eight databases and four other relevant sources was performed with no language restriction using combinations of the keywords ‘frailty’, ‘older adults’, ‘falls’ and ‘Africa’ and their synonyms. ResultsThirty-six studies from nine countries in the sub-region met the inclusion criteria. The average age for participant inclusion in the studies was 50 years. The Frailty Phenotype and the Frailty Index were the primary assessment methods used, yielding frailty prevalence rates ranging from 5.4 % to 17.4 % and 20.6 % to 60.0 %, respectively. Fall prevalence ranged from 20.8 % to 55.1 %, while recurrent falls were reported in 11.0 % to 24.6 % of cases. Comorbidities/multimorbidity and increasing age were the most reported clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with frailty. Low functional status and being female were the primary factors associated with falls. Conclusions and recommendationsIn sub-Saharan Africa, there appears to be a high prevalence of frailty and falls in a relatively young cohort of older adults. Future studies should focus on developing frailty definitions and assessment methods that are culturally appropriate in this setting.

Association between added sugars and frailty in U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018.

There are various detrimental effects of excessive added sugar consumption on health, but the association of added sugars with frailty remains elusive. We aimed to examine the association between added sugar intake and frailty among American adults in the present cross-sectional study. This cross-sectional study is based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Data from NHANES spanning from 2007 to 2018 on frailty, added sugars, and covariates were collected. Added sugars were categorized into quartiles according to the recommended percentages by institutions. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between frailty and added sugars. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, and diabetes status. This study included 16,381 participants, with 13,352 (81.51%) in the non-frailty group and 3,029 (18.49%) in the frailty group. We found that added sugars were positively associated with frailty, and subgroup analysis showed that participants who were male, over the age of 60, had a low BMI, had previously smoked and consumed alcohol, had no hypertension, or had diabetes mellitus (DM) were more likely to be frail. Added sugar intake was positively associated with frailty. Subgroup analysis showed that the association was strongest in males, those aged >60, those with a low BMI, former smokers, former alcohol consumers, and people with no hypertension or DM. When added sugars are classified by energy percentage, populations with more than 25% of their energy coming from added sugars have similar results, with a higher prevalence of frailty. Added sugars are positively associated with a higher risk of frailty, and the association is stable among different populations.

Sex Differences in Complications Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Population-Based Study

BackgroundThe relationship between sex and outcomes, especially complications, after total hip arthroplasty (THA) has not been well established. This study aimed to identify if patient biological sex significantly impacted complications after THA in Ontario, Canada. MethodsA population-based retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing primary THA in Ontario from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020 was conducted. The primary outcome was major surgical complications within a year postsurgery (a composite of revision, deep infection requiring surgery, and dislocation). Secondary outcomes included the individual component of the composite primary outcome and major medical complications within 30 days. Proportional hazards regression calculated the adjusted hazards ratio for major surgical complications in men relative to women, adjusting for age, comorbidities, neighborhood income quintile, surgeon and hospital volume, and year of surgery. ResultsA total of 67,077 patients (median age 68 years; 54.1% women) from 61 hospitals were included; women were older with a higher prevalence of frailty. Women had a higher rate of major surgical complications within 1 year of surgery compared to men (2.9 versus 2.5%, adjusted odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.33, P = .0009). Conversely, men had a higher risk for medical complications within 30 days (6.3 versus 2.7%, P < .001). ConclusionsObservable sex disparities exist in post-THA complications; women face surgical complications predominantly, while medical complications are more prevalent in men. These insights can shape preoperative patient consultations. Level of EvidenceLevel III.

#2870 Association between frailty and a history of falls in patients on hemodialysis

Abstract Background and Aims Patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis have a higher prevalence of frailty that is associated with relevant outcomes such as disability, hospitalization, and mortality. Moreover, these patients have musculoskeletal and physical function impairments that contribute to a higher risk of falling. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between frailty and a history of falls in patients on hemodialysis. Method This cross-section multicenter study included patients aged ≥18 years who were undergoing regular hemodialysis treatment for at least three months. Patients were excluded if presented severe and unstable comorbidities, psychiatric or cognitive disorders, and physical limitations including neurological, musculoskeletal and osteoarticular diseases which prevented the correct execution of the physical function tests. Frailty was assessed by Fried phenotype and the criteria were as follows: unintentional weight loss ≥ 4.5 kg in the past year; exhaustion was assessed using the vitality domain of the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire; weakness was measured using a handgrip dynamometer; walking speed was assessed by timing the 4.6 m distance covered at the participant's normal pace; and physical activity level was measured by the Human Activity Profile questionnaire. Patients were stratified into three groups: a score of 0/5 for non-frail, a score of 1-2/5 for pre-frail, and a score of 3-5/5 for frail. The retrospective history of falls was assessed for the last 12 months, and a fall was defined as an “unexpected event in which the individual comes to rest on the ground, floor or lower level”. The association between frailty stratification and a history of falls was analyzed using multivariate multinomial logistic regression model with non-frail group as reference. Then, a model adjusted for potential confounders was constructed. Results This study included 199 patients (59.1 ± 12.5 years, 41.2% female). The prevalences of frailty and pre-frailty were 17.6% and 54.8%, respectively. Patients classified as non-frail showed lower prevalence of a history of falls compared to patients classified as pre-frail and frail (26%, 36% and 54%, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.001). The absence of a history of falls decreased the chance of patients being classified as frail (OR = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.07-0.78, p = 0.018). After adjusting for age, educational level, time on dialysis, hemoglobin and presence of cardiovascular disease, this association remained significant (OR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.04-0.57, p = 0.005). Conclusion The prevalence of pre-frailty was approximately three times higher than that of frailty in patients on hemodialysis. A history of falls was associated with frailty in these patients.

Hospital-Based Health Professionals' Perceptions of Frailty in Older People.

There is a high prevalence of frailty amongst older patients in hospital settings. Frailty guidelines exist but implementation to date has been challenging. Understanding health professional attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about frailty is critical in understanding barriers and enablers to guideline implementation, and the aim of this study was to understand these in rehabilitation multidisciplinary teams in hospital settings. Twenty-three semistructured interviews were conducted with health professionals working in multidisciplinary teams on geriatric and rehabilitation wards in Adelaide and Sydney, Australia. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded by 2 researchers. A codebook was created and interviews were recoded and applied to the Framework Method of thematic analysis. Three domains were developed: diagnosing frailty, communicating about frailty, and managing frailty. Within these domains, 8 themes were identified: (1) diagnosing frailty has questionable benefits, (2) clinicians don't use frailty screening tools, (3) frailty can be diagnosed on appearance and history, (4) frailty has a stigma, (5) clinicians don't use the word "frail" with patients, (6) frailty isn't always reversible, (7) there is a lack of continuity of care after acute admission, and (8) the community setting lacks resources. Implementation of frailty guidelines will remain challenging while staff avoid using the term "frail," don't perceive benefit of using screening tools, and focus on the individual aspects of frailty rather than the syndrome holistically. Clinical champions and education about frailty identification, reversibility, management, and communication techniques may improve the implementation of frailty guidelines in hospitals.

Usefulness of the Clinical Frailty Scale in patients with end-stage kidney disease.

The frailty index (FI) is commonly used to estimate frailty in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a less time-consuming alternative. We aimed to determine the test performance of the CFS for pre-dialysis and dialysis patients and patients receiving conservative therapy from the Dialysis Centre Apeldoorn. In this cross-sectional study, haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, pre-dialysis patients and patients receiving conservative therapy from the Dialysis Centre Apeldoorn were included and subjected to frailty assessment. Nephrologists not familiar with the CFS completed the frailty score after medical consultation. The sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of the CFS were determined. The FI was used as the gold standard. Included were 144 patients, of whom 60 (41.7%) were considered frail according to the FI. The mean age was 67.4±13.5years and 56 (38.9%) were female. The cut-off point of the CFS for 'vulnerable' (CFS ≥4) had a sensitivity of 63.3%, a specificity of 81.0% and an AUC of 0.72. The cut-off point of the CFS for 'frail' (CFS ≥5) had a sensitivity of 50.0%, a specificity of 91.7% and an AUC of 0.71. The CFS is a quick and easy-to-use tool for the determination of frailty in ESKD patients with a high prevalence of frailty. Nevertheless, the sensitivity of the CFS in the present study was considered too low to implement into daily clinical practice. The sensitivity might be increased by training nephrologists in the use of the CFS.

The prevalence and characteristics of frailty in cirrhosis patients: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of frailty in cirrhosis patients and the distribution of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) in cirrhotic patients with frailty. We performed a thorough literature search using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to 29 February 2024. The estimated prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated with a random effect model. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to assess the heterogeneity and characterize the distribution of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) in cirrhotic patients. Publication bias was assessed by the funnel plot, Begg's test, and Egger's test. The 16 included studies, which were all observational, reported a prevalence of frailty in 8,406 cirrhosis patients ranging from 9 to 65%, and the overall estimated prevalence was 27% (95% CI: 21-33%; I2 = 97.7%, P < 0.001). This meta-analysis indicated that the estimated prevalence of frailty in cirrhosis patients was high, and compared to the non-frail cohort, the frail cohort tended to have a higher mean age, with a mean age of 63.3 (95% CI: 59.9, 66.7; Z = 36.48; P < 0.001), and a larger proportion of male patients with worse liver function, with a mean of 73.5% (95% CI: 71.4, 75.5%; Z = 7.65; P < 0.001), ND in the frail cohort, 54.8% (95% CI: 43.1, 66.5%; P < 0.001) and 23.4% (95% CI: 13.2, 33.7%; P < 0.001) were classified into Child-Pugh B and C, respectively. Meanwhile, the patients in the non-frail cohort are more likely to have a higher BMI, with a mean of 28.4 (95% CI: 24.1, 32.7; Z = 13.07; P < 0.001). The current study suggests that cirrhosis patients have a high prevalence of frailty. Compared with the non-frail cohort, the frail patients tend to be male, older, and have a lower BMI with worse liver function.