University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
BMC Geriatr. 2018 Dec 27;18(1):319. doi: 10.1186/s12877-018-1016-8.
Frailty in older adults is a condition characterised by a loss or reduction in physiological reserve resulting in increased clinical vulnerability. However, evidence suggests that frailty may be modifiable, and identifying frail older people could help better target specific health care interventions and services.
This was a regional longitudinal study to develop a frailty index for older adults living in Canterbury New Zealand. Participants included 5586 community dwelling older people that had an interRAI Minimum Data Set (MDS-HC) Home Care assessment completed between 2008 and 2012. The outcome measures were mortality and entry into aged residential care (ARC), after five years.
Participants were aged between 65 and 101 (mean age was 82 years). The five-year mortality rate, including those who entered ARC, for this cohort was 67.1% (n = 3747). The relationship between the frailty index and both mortality and entry into ARC was significant (P < 0.001). At five years, 25.1% (n = 98) of people with a baseline frailty of < 0.1 had died compared with 28.2% (n = 22) of those with a frailty index of ≥0.5 (FS 5). Furthermore, 43.7% (n = 171) of people with a frailty index of < 0.1 were still living at home compared to 2.6% (n = 2) of those with a frailty index of ≥0.5.
A frailty index was created that predicts mortality, and admission into ARC. This index could help healthcare professionals and clinicians identify older people at risk of health decline and mortality, so that appropriate services and interventions may be put in place.
老年人虚弱是一种由于生理储备减少或丧失导致临床脆弱性增加的状态。然而，有证据表明虚弱是可以改变的，识别虚弱的老年人可以帮助更好地针对特定的医疗保健干预措施和服务。
这是一项针对新西兰坎特伯雷地区老年人的纵向研究，旨在开发老年人虚弱指数。参与者包括 5586 名居住在社区的老年人，他们在 2008 年至 2012 年间接受了 interRAI 最低数据集（MDS-HC）家庭护理评估。研究的结局指标是五年后的死亡率和进入老年护理院（ARC）的情况。
参与者年龄在 65 至 101 岁之间（平均年龄为 82 岁）。该队列的五年死亡率，包括进入 ARC 的患者，为 67.1%（n=3747）。虚弱指数与死亡率和进入 ARC 之间的关系具有统计学意义（P<0.001）。五年后，基线虚弱程度<0.1 的人群中有 25.1%（n=98）死亡，而虚弱程度≥0.5 的人群中有 28.2%（n=22）死亡（FS5）。此外，虚弱程度<0.1 的人群中有 43.7%（n=171）仍居住在自己家中，而虚弱程度≥0.5 的人群中只有 2.6%（n=2）仍居住在自己家中。
创建了一个可以预测死亡率和 ARC 入院的虚弱指数。该指数可以帮助医疗保健专业人员和临床医生识别有健康下降和死亡风险的老年人，以便可以提供适当的服务和干预措施。
