Prevalence and factors associated with frailty in hospitalized older Patients

Abstract

Background : Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome that leads to an increase of an age-related disorder of several physiological systems, and cognitive abilities decline. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of frailty among older persons in Belgium and we examined the factors associated with frailty with a principal focus en cognitive, dietary status, and inflammatory parameters Methods: A total of 124 participants (90 women, 34 men; age: mean ± SD: 85.9 ± 5.5 years) were studied, recruited from the Geriatrics department, Belgium. Nutritional, cognitive status and physical activity were assessed using Mini Mental State Examination score (MMSE), Mini Nutritional Assessment score (MNA), and Katz score, respectively. Frailty syndrome was evaluated using the modified Short Emergency Geriatric Assessment (SEGA) score. Medication and medical history were recorded. Analyzed biochemical parameters included C-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood count, blood creatinine, vitamin D level, and serum protein electrophoresis. According to SEGA score, participants were divided into non-frail (n=19), frail (n=25) and severely frail patients (n= 80). Results: The SEGA score was inversely correlated with MMSE, MNA and Katz score. SEGA score was negatively correlated to albumin levels (r = -0.30; p<0.001) and positively correlated to CRP, polypharmacy and age(r = 0.28, r = 0.37, r = 0.33 and p<0.01 respectively) . Logistic regression showed a strong association between frailty, Katz score, dementia, polypharmacy and living in nursing home. Conclusion : Our results provide useful information for understanding mechanisms of frailty. This will help to develop preventive strategies for the elderly at the pre-frailty stage.

B12 levels and frailty syndrome

“…It has been estimated that this condition has a prevalence of 10 % in community-dwellers and higher in other settings, such as hospitals where it may range from 18 % to 40 % of patients 17 . Frailty, as a multidimensional syndrome, leads to different negative health associated outcomes, such as reduction in physical activity, disability, slowness, weakness, exhaustion, cognitive dysfunctions and hospitalizations due to the impact on many systems, such as the inflammatory system, the endocrine system, the respiratory system and the skeletal muscle 13,15,18 . Frail people are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, reduced quality of life and increased hospitalization as a result of postoperative complications 13 .…”