Higher Risk Of Frailty Research Articles

Leisure Activities, Genetic Risk, and Frailty: Evidence from the Chinese Adults Aged 80 Years or Older

Introduction: About half of adults aged ≥80 years suffer from frailty. Exercise is considered effective in preventing frailty but may be inapplicable to adults aged ≥80 years due to physical limitations. As an alternative, we aimed to explore the association of leisure activities with frailty and identify potential interaction with established polygenic risk score (PRS) among adults aged ≥80 years. Methods: Analyses were performed in a prospective cohort study of 7,471 community-living older adults aged ≥80 years who were recruited between 2002 and 2014 from 23 provinces in China. Leisure activity was assessed using a seven-question leisure activity index and frailty was defined as a frailty index ≥0.25 using a validated 39-item health-related scale. The PRS was constructed using 59 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with frailty in a subsample of 2,541 older adults. Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the associations of leisure activities, PRS with frailty. Results: The mean age of participants was 89.4 ± 6.6 years (range: 80–116). In total, 2,930 cases of frailty were identified during 42,216 person-years of follow-up. Each 1 unit increase in the leisure activity index was associated with 12% lower risk of frailty (hazard ratio: 0.88 [95% confidence interval, 0.85–0.91]). Participants with high genetic risk (PRS >2.47 × 10−4) suffered from 26% higher risk of frailty. Interaction between leisure activity and genetic risk was not observed. Conclusion: Evidence is presented for the independent association of leisure activities and genetic risk with frailty. Engagement in leisure activities is suggested to be associated with lower risk of frailty across all levels of genetic risk among adults aged ≥80 years.

PD08-02 APPLICATION OF HOSPITAL FRAILTY RISK SCORE IN RISK STRATIFYING ELDERLY PATIENTS UNDERGOING NEPHRECTOMY IN A NATIONAL INPATIENT DATABASE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD08-02 APPLICATION OF HOSPITAL FRAILTY RISK SCORE IN RISK STRATIFYING ELDERLY PATIENTS UNDERGOING NEPHRECTOMY IN A NATIONAL INPATIENT DATABASE Zhiyu (Jason) Qian, Benjamin Stone, Yuzhe Tang, and Steven Chang Zhiyu (Jason) QianZhiyu (Jason) Qian More articles by this author , Benjamin StoneBenjamin Stone More articles by this author , Yuzhe TangYuzhe Tang More articles by this author , and Steven ChangSteven Chang More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003239.02AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The majority of kidney cancer is diagnosed after age 65. Risk stratification of elderly patients by frailty is an integral element of surgical decision making. Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) is a novel instrument based on 109 International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) diagnosis codes. It was devised in 2018 via rigorous validation with multi-institutional data in the UK and provides an efficient way of screening for frailty in elderly patients using data readily available from electronic medical records. We aimed to examine the ability of HFRS to predict perioperative outcomes among elderly patients undergoing nephrectomy. METHODS: We identified patients over 65 years from the Premier Healthcare Database between 2016 and 2020 after the 2015 shift to ICD-10 coding. HFRS was calculated and stratified into low, moderate, and high frailty risks. Our primary outcomes were the odds of intensive care unit admission, 90-day overall complications, 90-day major complications, and 90-day mortality. We used separate multivariable logistic regression models to analyze each outcome of interest. Covariates adjusted for included age, sex, race, insurance, rural/urban location, region of residence, hospital size, teaching hospital status, minimally invasive technique, and partial or radical nephrectomy. RESULTS: Our cohort included 28,566 elderly patients. 22,071 (77.2%) scored low frailty risk on HFRS. 6,086 (21.3%) and 409 (1.4%) scored moderate and high frailty risk. Patients with moderate and high frailty risks on HFRS exhibited increasing odds of intensive care unit admission (aOR=3.3 95%CI [3.1, 3.6] and aOR=6.3 95%CI [5.1, 7.8]), 90-day overall complications (aOR=4.2 95%CI [3.9, 4.5] and aOR=8.0 95%CI [5.7, 11.3]), 90-day major complications (aOR=3.1 95%CI [2.9, 3.3] and aOR=6.9 95%CI [5.6, 8.4]), and 90-day mortality (aOR=6.6 95%CI [5.0, 8.7] and aOR = 12.4 95%CI [7.6, 20.1]). Figure 1 summarizes the predictive probabilities from these models. CONCLUSIONS: Higher HFRS frailty risk is associated with progressively worse short-term outcomes from nephrectomy. With one out of every seven elderly patients undergoing surgery being frail, HFRS offers a straightforward, effective, and contemporary means of pre-nephrectomy risk stratification. Source of Funding: n/a © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e232 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Zhiyu (Jason) Qian More articles by this author Benjamin Stone More articles by this author Yuzhe Tang More articles by this author Steven Chang More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Frequency, duration, and type of physiotherapy in the week after hip fracture surgery – analysis of implications for discharge home, readmission, survival, and recovery of mobility

PurposeTo examine the association between physiotherapy access after hip fracture and discharge home, readmission, survival, and mobility recovery. MethodsA 2017 Physiotherapy Hip Fracture Sprint Audit was linked to hospital records for 5383 patients. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between physiotherapy access in the first postoperative week and discharge home, 30-day readmission post-discharge, 30-day survival and 120-days mobility recovery post-admission adjusted for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiology grade, Hospital Frailty Risk Score and prefracture mobility/residence. ResultsOverall, 73% were female and 40% had high frailty risk. Patients who received ≥2 hours of physiotherapy (versus less) had 3% (95% Confidence Interval: 0–6%), 4% (2–6%), and 6% (1–11%) higher adjusted probabilities of discharge home, survival, and outdoor mobility recovery, and 3% (0–6%) lower adjusted probability of readmission. Recipients of exercise (versus mobilisation alone) had 6% (1–12%), 3% (0–7%), and 11% (3–18%) higher adjusted probabilities of discharge home, survival, and outdoor mobility recovery, and 6% (2–10%) lower adjusted probability of readmission. Recipients of 6–7 days physiotherapy (versus 0–2 days) had 8% (5–11%) higher adjusted probability of survival. For patients with dementia, improved probability of survival, discharge home, readmission and indoor mobility recovery were observed with greater physiotherapy access. ConclusionGreater access to physiotherapy was associated with a higher probability of positive outcomes. For every 100 patients, greater access could equate to an additional eight patients surviving to 30-days and six avoiding 30-day readmission. The findings suggest a potential benefit in terms of home discharge and outdoor mobility recovery. Contribution of the Paper•To substantiate a case for additional physiotherapy, evidence for an association with improved outcomes is needed.•Analysis of 5383 patients suggests greater access to physiotherapy was associated with higher probability of positive outcomes.•For every 100 patients, this could equate to six more patients avoiding 30-day readmission and eight more patients surviving to 30-days.•The association between access to physiotherapy and survival persisted irrespective of dementia diagnosis.•For other outcomes, associations varied by the presence/absence of dementia and should be explored by future cohort studies.

Attitude towards deprescribing and its association with frailty and complexity of medication regimen: A survey of older inpatients in a district health board in New Zealand

BackgroundOlder inpatients, particularly those with frailty, have increased exposure to complex medication regimens. It is not known whether frailty and complexity of medication regimens influence attitudes toward deprescribing. This study aimed to investigate (1) older inpatients’ attitudes toward deprescribing; (2) if frailty and complexity of medication regimen influence attitudes and willingness to deprescribe - a relationship that has not been investigated in previous studies.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, older adults (≥ 65 years) recruited from general medicine and geriatric services in a New Zealand hospital completed the revised Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) questionnaire. Hospital frailty risk score (HFRS) was calculated using diagnostic codes and other relevant information present at the time of index hospital admission; higher scores indicate higher frailty risk. Medication regimen complexity was quantified using the medication regimen complexity index (MRCI); higher scores indicate greater complexity. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of attitudes and willingness to deprescribe.ResultsA total of 222 patients were included in the study, the median age was 83 years and 63% were female. One in two patients reported feeling they were taking too many medications, and 1 in 5 considered their medications burdensome. Almost 3 in 4 (73%) wanted to be involved in decision-making about their medications, and 4 in 5 (84%) were willing to stop one or more of their medications if their prescriber said it was possible. Patients with higher MRCI had increased self-reported medication burden (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.6, 95% CI 1.29, 5.29) and were more interested in being involved in decision-making about their medications (AOR 1.8, CI 0.99, 3.42) than those with lower MRCI. Patients with moderate HFRS had lower odds of willingness to deprescribe (AOR 0.45, CI 0.22,0.92) compared to the low-risk group. Female patients had a lower desire to be involved in decision-making. The oldest old age group( > 80 years) had lower self-reported medication burden and were less likely to want to try stopping their medications.ConclusionMost older inpatients wanted to be involved in decision-making about their medications and were willing to stop one or more medications if proposed by their prescriber. Medication complexity and frailty status influence patients’ attitudes toward deprescribing and thus should be taken into consideration when making deprescribing decisions. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between frailty and the complexity of medication regimens.

Frailty Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Evidence From Swedish Population Data.

Incidence and survival of breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, have been increasing, leaving survivors at risk of aging-related health conditions. In this matched cohort study, we examined frailty risk with the Hospital Frailty Risk Score among breast cancer survivors (n= 34,900) and age-matched comparison subjects (n= 290,063). Women born in 1935-1975, registered in the Swedish Total Population Register (1991-2015), were eligible for inclusion. Survivors had a first breast cancer diagnosis in 1991-2005 and survived ≥5 years after initial diagnosis. Death date was determined by linkage to the National Cause of Death Registry (through 2015). Cancer survivorship was weakly associated with frailty (subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR)= 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00, 1.07). In age-stratified models, those diagnosed at younger ages (<50 years) had higher risk of frailty (SHR= 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.24) than those diagnosed at ages 50-65 (SHR= 1.03, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.07) or >65 (SHR= 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.17) years. Additionally, there was increased risk of frailty for diagnoses in 2000 or later (SHR= 1.15, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.21) compared with before 2000 (SHR= 0.97, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.17). This supports work from smaller samples showing that breast cancer survivors have increased frailty risk, particularly when diagnosed at younger ages.

Abstract P151: Late-Life Prediabetes, Diabetes, and Diabetes Duration With Risks of Frailty and Mortality: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Introduction: Diabetes is a risk factor for frailty and mortality. Longer diabetes duration is associated with higher mortality in older adults, whereas prediabetes is not. Little has been characterized on associations of prediabetes and diabetes duration with frailty risk. Characterizing frailty and mortality risk in older adults with prediabetes and diabetes is useful for planning healthcare resource utilization. Hypothesis: Longer diabetes duration, but not prediabetes, is associated with higher risks of frailty and mortality in older adults. Methods: We conducted a prospective analysis of 4119 ARIC Study participants (mean age 75, 56% women, 22% Black adults) who attended visit 5 (2011-3) without prevalent frailty and who attended visit 6 (2016-7) or died without attending visit 6. We used the Fried phenotype to classify frailty based on ≥3 components: unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, grip strength, slow walking speed, low physical activity. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate relative risk ratios (RRR) for baseline categories of normoglycemia (HbA1c&lt;5.7%), prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7-&lt;6.5%), or diabetes duration &lt;5, 5-&lt;10, or ≥10 years with incident frailty and death. Results: Over 5 years of follow-up, there were 851 deaths and 229 frailty cases detected at visit 6. The 5-year cumulative incidence of frailty was 3% in older adults without diabetes and 5% in those with diabetes, and the 5-year mortality risk was 15% in older adults without diabetes and 25% in those with diabetes. Compared to those with normoglycemia, older adults with diabetes ≥10 years had higher risk of frailty or mortality after multivariable adjustment ( Table ). Older adults with prediabetes did not have higher risk of frailty or death. Conclusion: In older adults, longer diabetes duration was associated with high risks of frailty and mortality, whereas prediabetes was not associated with frailty and mortality. Older adults with long-standing diabetes should be targeted for frailty screening and preventive interventions.

Determinants of depressive symptoms in older outpatients with cardiometabolic diseases in a Japanese frailty clinic: Importance of bidirectional association between depression and frailty.

Frailty and depression may play important roles in the management of older patients with cardiometabolic diseases. We explored the determinants of depressive symptoms and their association with frailty among patients with cardiometabolic diseases (hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation) in a cross-sectional study. A total of 633 outpatients aged 65 years or older with cardiometabolic disease and suspected symptoms of frailty participated in this study. Depressive symptoms, physical activity, and social network were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)-15, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6), respectively. Frailty was evaluated using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) based on the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), the modified Cardiovascular Health Study (mCHS), and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the determinants of depressive symptoms and their association with frailty. Depressive symptoms with GDS-15 scores ≥ 5 were present in 43.6% of the patients. In logistic regression, after adjusting for covariates, the determinants of depressive symptoms in all patients were lack of social network, low years of education, and frailty. In contrast, in logistic regression with frailty as the dependent variable, depressive symptoms were independently associated KCL-defined frailty (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 4.13-9.55) and mCHS-defined frailty (OR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.70-4.17), but not with CFS. Similarly, significant associations between depression and frailty were observed in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation. Lack of social networks, low education, and frailty based on the KCL and mCHS were important determinants of depressive symptoms in all patients. The relatively strong associations between depressive symptoms and frailty based on CGA in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or atrial fibrillation suggest that the assessment of depressive symptoms is of great importance in clinical practice in those patients at high risk of frailty.

Genetic predisposition to smoking in relation to the risk of frailty in ageing

Frailty causes emerging global health burden due to its high prevalence and mortality. In this study, we used Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to examine the potential causal relationship between smoking and frailty in ageing. Using inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, genetically predicted smoking initiation was associated with an increased risk of frailty in ageing (odd ratio (OR) 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–1.27, P = 3.21 × 10–39). Similarly, per year increase in age of initiation of regular smoking was associated with a 25% decrease in the risk of frailty (95% CI 7–39%, P = 7.79 × 10–3, per year), while higher number of cigarettes per day was associated with a 12% increased risk (95% CI 4–20%, P = 1.76 × 10–3). Compared with former smokers, current smokers were associated with an increased risk of frailty (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.22, P = 0.01). Lifetime smoking was associated with a 46% higher risk of frailty (95% CI 37–56%, P = 2.63 × 10–29). Sensitivity analysis using alternative MR methods yielded similar results. Our study indicates that genetic predisposition to smoking is associated with the risk of frailty in ageing. Further studies are warranted to examine the exact role of smoking in the development of frailty.

Association between coffee intake and frailty among older American adults: A population-based cross-sectional study.

We aimed to investigate the association between coffee consumption and frailty in older American adults. We focused on individuals at higher frailty risk, such as women, ethnic minorities, smokers, and those with obesity and insufficient physical activity. The data of 8,087 individuals aged over 60 years from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used for this cross-sectional study. The coffee drinks were classified into two categories: caffeinated and decaffeinated. Frailty was measured using the 53-item frailty index. Weighted binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between coffee intake and frailty risk. Restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the dose-response relationship between caffeinated coffee intake and frailty. Among the 8,087 participants, 2,458 (30.4%) had frailty. Compared with those who reported no coffee consumption, the odds ratios [ORs; 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of total coffee consumption > 498.9 (g/day) were 0.65 (0.52, 0.79) in the fully adjusted model. Compared with those who reported no caffeinated coffee consumption, the ORs (95% CIs) of total coffee consumption > 488.4 (g/day) were 0.68 (0.54, 0.85) in the fully adjusted model. Compared with those who reported no decaffeinated coffee consumption, the ORs (95% CIs) of total coffee consumption > 0 (g/day) were 0.87 (0.71, 1.06) in the fully adjusted model. Nonlinear associations were detected between total coffee and caffeinated coffee consumption and frailty. In the subgroup analyses by smoking status, the association between coffee consumption and the risk of frailty was more pronounced in non-smokers (P for interaction = 0.031). Caffeinated coffee consumption was independently and nonlinearly associated with frailty, especially in non-smokers. However, decaffeinated coffee consumption was not associated with frailty.

Association between B-vitamins intake and frailty among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Gain insight into the impact of B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B6, total folate, and vitamin B12 on the risk of frailty in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study was an American population-based cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 1201 COPD patients were included in the analysis. Of these, the intake of B vitamins was determined by the two 24-h recall interviews. We followed the method constructed by Hakeem et al. to calculate the frailty index (FI), which is used as a reliable tool to assess the debilitating status of patients with COPD. Missing data were imputed by the MissForest method based on random forests. Multivariate logistic regression model and inverse probability weighted based on propensity scores were used to correct for confoundings. Logistic regression models showed that vitamin B6 intake was negatively correlated with frailty risk in COPD patients, while other B vitamins including B1, B2, niacin (vitamin B3), total folic acid and vitamin B12 were not. After adjusting for covariates, the association between vitamin B6 and frailty risk (adjusted OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.66-0.95, P = 0.013) remained significant. At the same time, sensitivity analysis proves the robustness of the results. COPD patients with lower vitamin B6 intake have a higher risk of frailty. However, intake of vitamin B1, B2, niacin, total folic acid, and vitamin B12 was not associated with frailty risk in COPD patients.

1344 UNDERSTANDING PATHWAYS INTO CARE HOMES USING DATA (THE UNPICD STUDY)

Abstract Introduction Moving into a care home is a significant, life-changing experience which occurs to address care needs which cannot be supported elsewhere. UK health policy recommends against moving into a care home from the acute hospital. However, this occurs in practice. Better understanding pathways into care homes could improve support for individuals and families, service planning and policymaking. Our aim was to characterise individuals who move-in to a care home from hospital and those moving-in from the community, identifying factors associated with moving-in from hospital. Method A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted involving adults moving into care homes in Scotland between 1/3/13-31/3/16 using the Scottish Care Home Census (SCHC), a national individual-level social care dataset. SCHC data were linked to routine data sources including hospital admissions, community prescribing and mortality. The data were split into those moving-in from hospital and those moving-in from the community. Descriptive statistics characterising the two groups were generated and multivariate regression undertaken to identify factors associated with moving-in from hospital. Results A total of 23,892 individuals were included in the analysis, of whom 13,564 (56.8%) moved-in from hospital. A third came directly from an acute hospital, with 57.7% from rehabilitation or community hospitals and 7.1% from inpatient psychiatry. Being male, receiving nursing care, high frailty risk, increasing numbers of hospital admissions and diagnoses of any fracture or stroke in the six months before moving-into the care home were all significant predictors of moving-in from hospital. Conclusions The population moving-in to care homes from hospital are clinical distinct from those moving-in from the community. National cross-sectoral data linkage of health and social care data is feasible, but the available data are dominated by health characteristics. There is an urgent need to operationalise other meaningful variables which shape care pathways to enhance understanding and evidence.

Frailty Assessment and Perioperative Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events After Noncardiac Surgery

ObjectiveFrailty is an emerging risk factor for adverse outcomes. However, perioperative frailty assessments derived from electronic health records have not been studied on a large scale. We aim to estimate the prevalence of frailty and the associated incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among adults hospitalized for noncardiac surgery. MethodsAdults aged ≥45 years hospitalized for noncardiac surgery from 2004-2014 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample. The validated Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) derived from International Classification of Diseases codes was used to classify patients as low (HFRS <5), medium (5-10), or high (>10) frailty risk. The primary outcome was MACE, defined as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, and in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds of MACE stratified by age and HFRS. ResultsA total of 55,349,978 hospitalizations were identified, of which 81.0%, 14.4%, and 4.6% had low, medium, and high HFRS, respectively. Patients with higher HFRS had more cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities. MACE occurred during 2.5% of surgical hospitalizations and was common among patients with high frailty scores (high HFRS: 9.1%, medium: 6.9%, low: 1.3%, P < .001). Medium (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.02-2.08) and high (aOR 2.75; 95% CI, 2.70-2.79) HFRS were associated with greater odds of MACE vs low HFRS, with the greatest odds of MACE observed in younger individuals 45-64 years (interaction P value < .001). ConclusionsThe HFRS may identify frail surgical inpatients at risk for adverse perioperative cardiovascular outcomes.

Incidence of frailty and construction of prediction model in elderly male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The incidence of frailty was studied and prediction model was constructed for the elderly male patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Total of 266 elderly males having COPD were selected, and Fried Frailty Phenotype was employed to investigate their frailty status. According to the clinical experience, literature and reports; age, BMI (Body Mass Index), course and condition of COPD, laboratory findings, lung function, life quality, nutritional status and disease acceptance were designated as independent variables; and the incidence of frailty was taken as dependent variable. A binary logistic regression model was applied to analyze the factors affecting incidence of frailty, and a prediction model was constructed for the clinical screening of elderly male COPD patients at high frailty risk. The scores of 266 elderly male COPD patients investigated by frailty phenotype (FP) phenotype ranged from 0 to 5, and mean score was 1.83 ± 0.43. Total of 103 patients scored more than 3 among these patients. The frailty detection rate was 38.72%. Multi-factors logistic regression analysis suggested that age, hospitalization for acute exacerbation of COPD within a year, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels were the risk factors for incidence of frailty in elderly male COPD patients, while FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second) and MNA-SF (Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form) levels were the protective factors. COPD frailty was higher in elderly men. Age, inflammatory response, lung function, disease control and nutritional status were the independent factors affecting incidence of frailty. Strengthening the screening for frailty in elderly patients and monitoring their inflammatory response, lung function, and nutritional status were significant in reducing incidence and improving prognosis.

Sex Differences in Frailty Factors and Their Capacity to Identify Frailty in Older Adults Living in Long-Term Nursing Homes.

Frailty is a phenomenon that precedes adverse health events in older people. However, there is currently no consensus for how to best measure frailty. Several studies report that women have a higher prevalence of frailty than men, but there is a gap in studies of the high rates of frailty in older people living in long-term nursing homes (LTNHs) stratified by sex. Therefore, we analyzed health parameters related to frailty and measured their capacity to identify frailty stratified by sex in older people living in LTNHs. According to the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP), anxiety increased the risk of frailty in women, while for men functionality protected against the risk of frailty. Regarding the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), functionality had a protective effect in men, while for women worse dynamic balance indicated a higher risk of frailty. The analyzed parameters had a similar capacity for detecting frailty measured by the TFI in both sexes, while the parameters differed in frailty measured by the FFP. Our study suggests that assessment of frailty in older adults should incorporate a broad definition of frailty that includes not only physical parameters but also psycho-affective aspects as measured by instruments such as the TFI.

Understanding Pathways into Care homes using Data (UnPiCD study): a retrospective cohort study using national linked health and social care data.

Pathways into care are poorly understood but important life events for individuals and their families. UK policy is to avoid moving-in to care homes from acute hospital settings. This assumes that moves from secondary care represent a system failure. However, those moving to care homes from community and hospital settings may be fundamentally different groups, each requiring differing care approaches. To characterise individuals who move-in to a care home from hospital and compare with those moving-in from the community. A retrospective cohort study using cross-sectoral data linkage of care home data. We included adults moving-in to care homes between 1/4/13 and 31/3/16, recorded in the Scottish Care Home Census. Care home data were linked to general and psychiatric hospital admissions, community prescribing and mortality records to ascertain comorbidities, significant diagnoses, hospital resource use, polypharmacy and frailty. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of moving-in from hospital compared to from community. We included 23,892 individuals moving-in to a care home, 13,564 (56.8%) from hospital and 10,328 (43.2%) from the community. High frailty risk adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 5.11 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.60-5.68), hospital discharge with diagnosis of fracture aOR 3.91 (95%CI: 3.41-4.47) or stroke aOR 8.42 (95%CI: 6.90-10.29) were associated with moving-in from hospital. Discharge from in-patient psychiatry was also a highly significant predictor aOR 19.12 (95%CI: 16.26-22.48). Individuals moving-in to care homes directly from hospital are clinically distinct from those from the community. Linkage of cross-sectoral data can allow exploration of pathways into care at scale.

Assessing Sarcopenia, Frailty, and Malnutrition in Community-Dwelling Dependant Older Adults—An Exploratory Home-Based Study of an Underserved Group in Research

Adults of advanced age, with functional dependency, socioeconomic disadvantage, or a need for home care, are expected to be at high risk of sarcopenia, frailty and malnutrition, yet are likely to be underrepresented in research. We aimed to explore the assessment of sarcopenia, frailty, and malnutrition in-home, and to describe the practicality of performing these assessments. Home-based health assessments and post-study feedback surveys were conducted among community-dwelling older adults ≥65 years in receipt of state-funded home care (n = 31). Assessments included probable sarcopenia [hand-grip strength (HGS), chair rise-test, and SARC-F case-finding tool], the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). The study group was of mean age 83.2 ± 8.2 years, 74% were female and 23% lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Almost all met the criteria for probable sarcopenia (94%, n = 29/31), were frail or vulnerable by the CFS (97%, n = 30/31), and over a quarter were at risk of malnutrition (26%, n = 8). Participants had low physical activity (71.0%, n = 22/31), with a mean daytime average of 11.4 ± 1.6 h spent sitting. It was possible to assess probable sarcopenia (by HGS and SARC-F, but not the chair rise test), malnutrition (MNA), and frailty (CFS). Home-based research was a complex environment, and unearthed significant unmet need, prompting referrals to health services (36%, n = 11), in addition to technology assistance. The majority of participants (93%) reported a willingness to partake in future research. Most community-dwelling older people in receipt of home support, assessed in this exploratory study, were at risk of probable sarcopenia, frailty, and low physical activity, with over a quarter were at risk of malnutrition. Our initial findings provide practical data for large scale studies and may inform the development of intervention studies aiming to support ageing in place.

Impact of Frailty Risk on Adverse Outcomes after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Historical Cohort Study.

We evaluated the utility of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) as a predictor of adverse events after hospitalization in a retrospective analysis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This historical cohort study analyzed the data of patients hospitalized with TBI between April 2014 and August 2020 who were registered in the JMDC database. We used HFRS to classify the patients into the low- (HFRS < 5), intermediate- (HFRS5-15), and high- (HFRS > 15)-frailty risk groups. Outcomes were the length of hospital stay, the number of patients with Barthel Index score ≥ 95 on, Barthel Index gain, and in-hospital death. We used logistic and linear regression analyses to estimate the association between HFRS and outcome in TBI. We included 18,065 patients with TBI (mean age: 71.8 years). Among these patients, 10,139 (56.1%) were in the low-frailty risk group, 7388 (40.9%) were in the intermediate-frailty risk group, and 538 (3.0%) were in the high-frailty risk group. The intermediate- and high-frailty risk groups were characterized by longer hospital stays than the low-frailty risk group (intermediate-frailty risk group: coefficient 1.952, 95%; confidence interval (CI): 1.117−2.786; high-frailty risk group: coefficient 5.770; 95% CI: 3.160−8.379). The intermediate- and high-frailty risk groups were negatively associated with a Barthel Index score ≥ 95 on discharge (intermediate-frailty risk group: odds ratio 0.645; 95% CI: 0.595−0.699; high-frailty risk group: odds ratio 0.221; 95% CI: 0.157−0.311) and Barthel Index gain (intermediate-frailty risk group: coefficient −4.868, 95% CI: −5.599−−3.773; high-frailty risk group: coefficient −19.596, 95% CI: −22.242−−16.714). The intermediate- and high-frailty risk groups were not associated with in-hospital deaths (intermediate-frailty risk group: odds ratio 0.901; 95% CI: 0.766−1.061; high-frailty risk group: odds ratio 0.707; 95% CI: 0.459−1.091). We found that HFRS could predict adverse outcomes during hospitalization in TBI patients.

Self-assessed masticatory function and frailty in Brazilian older adults: the FIBRA Study.

To investigate the relationship between the masticatory function and the frailty of older people. Exploratory cross-sectional study using secondary data from the FIBRA Project on the frailty conditions of older people living in urban areas of six Brazilian municipalities, from 2008 to 2009. The population consisted of older adults aged 65 and over with no cognitive impairment. A single session identification questionnaire and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were applied, followed by collecting sociodemographic data and data on the participants' self-assessment of masticatory function, general health, and oral health. 2,341 older people (164 frail older adults), of whom 63.2% reported not having seen a dentist in the last year, and approximately 26% of them had three or more functional feeding problems. Older participants (OR = 2.88; 95%CI: 2.01-4.13), who are retired (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.18-5.53), those who were depressed (OR = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.58-3.38), and those who self-assessed their general health as worse compared to others of the same age (OR = 3.91; 95%CI: 2.39-6.40) were at higher risk of frailty. Three or more problems related to the functional aspects of mastication were associated with a greater chance of frailty (OR = 2.06; 95%CI: 1.25-3.41). This study found an association between masticatory function and a greater chance of frailty among the studied population.

Associations of poor sleep quality, chronic pain and depressive symptoms with frailty in older patients: is there a sex difference?

BackgroundSleep disturbance, chronic pain and depressive symptoms later in life are modifiable risk factors and may contribute to frailty. However, much less is known about sex differences in the association between these concurrent symptoms and frailty in older patients. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the associations of poor sleep quality, chronic pain, and depressive symptoms with frailty in older patients, and the sex-specific associations.MethodsIn an observational population-based study, 540 older hospitalized patients from Zhejiang Hospital in China were enrolled. We collected data on poor sleep quality, pain, depressive symptoms and frailty using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Numerical Rating Scale, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Clinical Frailty Scale. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the total sample and sex-specific associations among symptom burdens, symptom combination patterns and symptom counts, and frailty.ResultsAfter adjusting for the potential covariates, concurrent poor sleep quality and depressive symptoms (OR = 4.02, 95% CI 1.57–10.26), concurrent poor sleep quality and chronic pain (OR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.04–4.05), and having three symptoms (OR = 3.52, 95% CI 1.19–10.44) were associated with a higher likelihood of frailty in older inpatients. In addition, older patients with 2 or 3 symptoms (2 and 3 vs. 0 symptoms) had a higher risk of frailty, and the odds ratios were 2.40 and 3.51, respectively. Interaction analysis and sex-stratified associations exhibited conflicting results. The nonsignificant effect of the interaction of sex and symptoms on frailty, but not the sex-stratified associations, showed that individual symptoms, symptom combination patterns, and symptom counts were associated with elevated risks of frailty in older male patients, but not in older female patients.ConclusionsIncreased symptom burdens were associated with a higher risk of frailty in older inpatients, especially in those with poor sleep quality concurrent with at least one of the other two symptoms. Thus, a multidisciplinary program addressing these common symptoms is required to reduce adverse outcomes.

Higher Hospital Frailty Risk Score Is an Independent Predictor of In-Hospital Mortality in Hospitalized Older Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Frailty predisposes individuals to stressors, increasing morbidity and mortality risk. Therefore, this study examined the impact of frailty defined by the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) and other characteristics in older hospitalized patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample 2016 in patients ≥65 years old with OSA. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the impact of frailty on inpatient mortality. A Kaplan-Meier curve with a log-rank test was used to estimate survival time between frailty groups. 182,174 discharge records of elderly OSA were included in the study. 54% of the cohort were determined to be a medium/high frailty risk, according to HFRS. In multivariable analysis, frailty was associated with a fourfold (medium frailty, adjusted odd ratio (aOR): 4.12, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 3.76-4.53, p-value &lt; 0.001) and sixfold (high frailty, OR: 6.38, 95% CI: 5.60-7.27, p-value &lt; 0.001) increased odds of mortality. Hospital survival time was significantly different between the three frailty groups (Log-rank test, p &lt; 0.0001). Comorbidity burden defined by Charlson comorbidity Index (CCI) was associated with increased mortality (p &lt; 0.001). More than half of the whole cohort was determined to be at medium and high frailty risk. Frailty was a significant predictor of in-hospital deaths in hospitalized OSA patients. Frailty assessment may be applicable for risk stratification of older hospitalized OSA patients.