Factors Determining the Occurrence of Frailty Syndrome in Hospitalized Older Patients

Izabela Kozicka (), Agnieszka Guligowska, Joanna Chrobak-Bień, Katarzyna Czyżewska, Natalia Doroba, Anna Ignaczak, Anna Machała, Ewelina Spałka, Tomasz Kostka and Ewa Borowiak
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Izabela Kozicka: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Agnieszka Guligowska: Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Plac Hallera 1, 90-647 Lodz, Poland
Joanna Chrobak-Bień: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Katarzyna Czyżewska: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Natalia Doroba: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Anna Ignaczak: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Anna Machała: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Ewelina Spałka: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Tomasz Kostka: Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Plac Hallera 1, 90-647 Lodz, Poland
Ewa Borowiak: Department of Conservative Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Jaracza 63, 90-251 Lodz, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: Frailty syndrome (FS) is a condition characterized by a decline in reserves, observed with aging. The most important consequences of the frailty syndrome include disability, hospitalization, fractures, institutionalization, and early mortality. The aim of this study was to identify the most important risk factors for FS in a group of older hospitalized patients in Poland. A total of one hundred and forty-one (78 women, 63 men) elderly patients from the Departments of Internal Medicine of the Medical University of Lodz (Poland) were recruited for this study. Frailty Instrument of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE-FI), handgrip strength (HGS), depressive symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and functional ability (FA) using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were assessed. According to SHARE-FI score, participants were divided into control group, frail, and pre-frail patients. Out of all 141 tested patients, FS was confirmed in 55 patients, and pre-frailty was observed in 52 patients. The occurrence of FS in the group of studied patients was related to age ( p < 0.001), widowhood ( p < 0.001), comorbidities ( p < 0.001), heart diseases ( p = 0.04), more medications taken ( p < 0.001), lower FA ( p < 0.001), weaker HGS, and depression ( p < 0.001). The strongest positive correlations were between Share-FI score and the number of diseases (rS = 0.31), GDS (rS = 0.32), while negative correlations with IADL (rS = −0.47) and HGS (rS = −0.35). The study shows that FS is associated with age, comorbidities, number of medications taken, and widowhood. The present study has also demonstrated that FA, depression, and especially HGS are essential determinants of FS of elderly hospitalized people.

Keywords: frailty syndrome (FS); functional ability (FA); handgrip strength (HGS); depression; elderly people (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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