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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

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01-01-2021 | Malnutrition

Clinical Frailty Scale and Biomarkers for Assessing Frailty in Elder Inpatients in China

Authors: L. Xu, J. Zhang, S. Shen, Z. Liu, X. Zeng, Y. Yang, X. Hong, Xujiao Chen

Published in: The journal of nutrition, health & aging | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and clinical biomarkers in assessing the frailty in elder inpatients in China.

Design

The study was a cross-sectional study.

Setting and Participants

The study included 642 elder inpatients (295 females and 347 males) aged ≥65 years, from the Department of Geriatrics of Zhejiang Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019.

Measurements

All participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment and blood tests. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between risk factors and frailty.

Results

The average age of the participants was 82.72±8.06 years (range: 65–95 years) and the prevalence of frailty was 39.1% according to the CFS. Frail participants showed significantly lower short physical performance battery (SPPB), basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores (all p<0.001), and lower hemoglobin, total protein and albumin levels (all P<0.05) than nonfrail participants. Frail participants had higher CRP, D-dimer and fibrinogen levels than nonfrail participants (all p<0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between frailty and age, comorbidity, polypharmacy, fall history, SPPB, ADL, and IADL scores, D-dimer, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, total protein and albumin levels (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age (odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI)= 1.151(1.042–1.272), P=0.006), SPPB scores (OR, 95% CI=0.901(0.601–1.350), P<0.001), and D-dimer (OR, 95% CI=4.857(2.182–6.983), P<0.001), fibrinogen (OR, 95% CI=2.665(0.977–4.254), P<0.001), hemoglobin (OR, 95% CI=0.837(0.725–0.963), P= 0.044), and albumin (OR, 95% CI=0.860 (0.776–1.188), P<0.001) levels were independently associated with frailty in all participants.

Conclusion

Frailty in elder inpatients in China is characterized by older age, a lower SPPB scores, higher D-dimer and fibrinogen levels and lower hemoglobin and albumin levels. Functional decline and malnutrition may be the targets of frailty interventions.

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Title: Clinical Frailty Scale and Biomarkers for Assessing Frailty in Elder Inpatients in China
Authors: L. Xu
J. Zhang
S. Shen
Z. Liu
X. Zeng
Y. Yang
X. Hong
Xujiao Chen
Publication date: 01-01-2021
Publisher: Springer Paris
Keywords: Malnutrition
Geriatric Assessment
Biomarkers
Published in: The journal of nutrition, health & aging / Issue 1/2021
Print ISSN: 1279-7707
Electronic ISSN: 1760-4788
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-020-1455-8

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