journal articles
PREVALENCE OF PHYSICAL FRAILTY: RESULTS FROM THE DOHEALTH STUDY
M. Gagesch, P.O. Chocano-Bedoya, L.A. Abderhalden, G. Freystaetter, A. Sadlon, J.A. Kanis, R.W. Kressig, S. Guyonnet, J.A.P. DaSilva, D. Felsenberg, R. Rizzoli, M. Blauth, E.J. Orav, A. Egli, H.A. Bischoff-Ferrari
J Frailty Aging 2022;11(1)18-25
Background: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome associated with multiple negative health outcomes. However, its prevalence varies by population and instrument used. We investigated frailty and pre-frailty prevalence by 5 instruments in community-dwelling older adults enrolled to a randomized-controlled trial in 5 European countries.
METHODS: Cross-sectional baseline analysis in 2,144 DO-HEALTH participants recruited from Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, and Portugal with complete data for frailty. Frailty status was assessed by the Physical Frailty Phenotype [PFP], SOF-Frailty Index [SOF-FI], FRAIL-Scale, SHARE-Frailty Instrument [SHARE-FI], and a modified SHARE-FI, and compared by country, age, and gender. Logistic regression was used to determine relevant factors associated with frailty and pre-frailty.
RESULTS: Mean age was 74.9 (±4.4) years, 61.6% were women. Based on the PFP, overall frailty and pre-frailty prevalence was 3.0% and 43.0%. By country, frailty prevalence was highest in Portugal (13.7%) and lowest in Austria (0%), and pre-frailty prevalence was highest in Portugal (57.3%) and lowest in Germany (37.1%). By instrument and overall, frailty and pre-frailty prevalence was highest based on SHARE-FI (7.0% / 43.7%) and lowest based on SOF-FI (1.0% / 25.9%). Frailty associated factors were residing in Coimbra (Portugal) [OR 12.0, CI 5.30-27.21], age above 75 years [OR 2.0, CI 1.17-3.45], and female gender [OR 2.8, CI 1.48-5.44]. The same three factors predicted pre-frailty.
CONCLUSIONS: Among relatively healthy adults age 70 and older enroled to DO-HEALTH, prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty differed significantly by instrument, country, gender, and age. Among instruments, the highest prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was documented by the SHARE-FI and the lowest by the SOF-FI.
CITATION:
M. Gagesch ; P.O. Chocano-Bedoya ; L.A. Abderhalden ; G. Freystaetter ; A. Sadlon ; J.A. Kanis ; R.W. Kressig ; S. Guyonnet ; J.A.P. DaSilva ; D. Felsenberg ; R. Rizzoli ; M. Blauth ; E.J. Orav ; A. Egli ; H.A. Bischoff-Ferrari (2021): Prevalence of Physical Frailty: Results from the DO-HEALTH Study. The Journal of Frailty and Aging (JFA). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2021.18