Utility of VIG-Frail Index in a ED Short-Stay Unit: Frailty and Mortality Correlation

Abstract

(1) Background: Frailty assessment allows identification of patients at risk of death, and is a challenge in the emergency department or its support wards. The aim is to study Frail-VIG Index (FI-VIG) ability to discriminate frailty groups of older adults and its correlation with mortality in an short-stay unit; (2) Methods: observational, single-center, prospective study consecutively included patients over 65 years old admitted to the unit between March 1, 2021-April 30, 2021. (3) Results: 302 patients were included (56% women); mean age 82.6±7.7 years; 39.1% of them had functional disability and 16.5% had dementia. Of them, 174 patients (58%) met frailty criteria (FI-VIG ≥0.2; 111 (63.8%) mild frailty (FI-VIG 0.2 - 0.36); 52 (29.9%) moderate frailty (FI-VIG 0.36 - 0.55) and 11 (6.3%) advanced frailty (FI-VIG >0.55). Mortality at one year was analyzed: no frailty (n=16; 12.5%); mild frailty (n=25;22.5%); moderate (n=22;42.3%); advanced (n=7;63.6%), showing significant differences between groups (p<0.003). Mild Frailty vs Non-Fragile HR 2.47 (95%CI 1.12 - 5.46; Moderate Frailty vs Non-Fragile HR 6.93 (95%CI 3.16 - 15.23); Advanced Frailty vs Non-Fragile HR 11.29 (95%CI 3.54 - 36.03). (4) Conclusions: There was a strong correlation between frailty degree and mortality at 1, 6 and 12 months. FI-VIG Index is a fast, easy-to-use tool and allows personalization of care.