Health factors associated with cognitive frailty in older adults living in the community

Abstract

IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the health factors associated with cognitive frailty in frail and pre-frail older adults living in the community.MethodsA total of 233 older adults meeting Fried’s criteria for pre-frailty or frailty were included. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Health factors encompassed nutritional status (evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment tool, body mass index, and waist, arm, and leg circumferences), physical function (assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery), quality of life (measured with the total index of the EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level questionnaire - EQoL-Index -, and the Visual-Analogue Scale - QoL-VAS - for today’s health state), as well as sleep, physical activity, and inactivity estimated through wrist-worn accelerometers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify potential predictors of cognitive frailty, considering age as a confounding factor.ResultsCognitive frail participants exhibited advanced age, heightened self-reported exhaustion, diminished overall physical performance, reduced leg perimeter, decreased engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and higher levels of inactivity (all p<0.05). However, after adjusting for age, only QoL-VAS emerged as a cognitive frailty risk factor (Odds ratio: 1.024), while the EQoL-Index, calf perimeter, and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were identified as protective factors (Odds ratios: 0.025, 0.929, and 0.973, respectively).DiscussionThis study highlights the complex relationship between non-modifiable factors such as age, and modifiable factors including quality of life, nutritional status, and physical activity in the development of cognitive frailty among older adults with a frailty phenotype living in the community.

A Holistic Approach to Cognitive Frailty in Community-dwelling Older Adults in India: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Survey

“…This understanding is crucial to develop policy and public health strategies with the purpose of reducing prevalence of serious late-life impairments. Developing understanding and risks for CF is an important part of this, as is development of potential interventions for this reversible [21, 36, 37], but high-risk condition [22–24, 31, 35]. In a descriptive review, Sugimoto and colleagues (2018) [55] demonstrated a prevalence of 1.0-1.8% of CF in community-based samples, with higher levels in clinical samples (e.g.…”

“…Understanding and addressing the factors contributing to CF could pave the way for effective interventions that enhance cognitive and physical well-being and potentially reduce the risk of dementia and later life dependence. Therefore, CF emerges as a critical area for research and intervention, emphasising the importance of early identification and management to potentially reduce the risk of dementia and enhance the quality of life for older adults [24, 38, 39]. A comprehensive understanding of CF is imperative for healthcare professionals, as it demands a multidisciplinary approach, including assessments covering both physical and cognitive domains, as well as broader psychosocial risk factors.…”

Cognitive frailty and its association with disability among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…It indicated that cognitive frailty was common among older adults living in the community. A recent study reported that the prevalence of cognitive frailty among community-dwelling older adults in Spain was 23.61% [ 21 ]. Another Chinese research reported that the prevalence of cognitive frailty was 11.8% among older adults in Western China [ 22 ].…”

Effects of an educational intervention on frailty status, physical function, physical activity, sleep patterns, and nutritional status of older adults with frailty or pre-frailty: the FRAGSALUD study

“…Nutritional habits and nutritional status are also essential factors in promoting healthy ageing and hold special relevance in the context of frailty ( 52 ). A qualitative assessment of nutritional status using MNA has been associated not only with the progression of frailty ( 53 ) but also with a lower risk of developing cognitive frailty in individuals who meet at least one of the criteria for this condition ( 16 ). Moderate effect sizes were observed in the MNA scores of this population, with similar improvements reported by previous studies with physical training and nutritional interventions conducted in older adults with pre-frailty and frailty ( 54 ).…”

“…Previous studies have provided support for the effectiveness of exercise and nutritional interventions in reducing physical frailty ( 5 , 7 ). However, social isolation ( 14 ) and cognitive training ( 15 , 16 ) play also relevant roles in developing frailty. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring more comprehensive interventions that encompass all aspects, including physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors, to effectively address and reduce frailty.…”