Is Frailty Diagnosis Important in Patients with COPD? A Narrative Review of the Literature

Francisco José Tarazona-Santabalbina (), Elsa Naval, Juan María De la Cámara-de las Heras, Cristina Cunha-Pérez and José Viña
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Francisco José Tarazona-Santabalbina: Geriatric Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario de la Ribera, Carretera de Corbera km. 1, 46600 Alzira, Spain
Elsa Naval: Department of Pneumology, Hospital Universitari la Ribera, 46600 Alzira, Spain
Juan María De la Cámara-de las Heras: Library Service, Hospital Universitario la Ribera, 46600 Alzira, Spain
Cristina Cunha-Pérez: School of Doctorate, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain
José Viña: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), 28029 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Frailty is prevalent in older adults and is related to a worsening functionality, quality of life, and health outcomes. Though there is an increasing interest in this field, the relationship between frailty and worsening COPD outcomes remains unknown. A narrative review of the literature with studies published between 2018 and 2022 was carried out to address three questions: the prevalence of frailty and other geriatric syndromes in COPD patients, the link between frailty and worsening health outcomes in COPD patients, and the non-pharmacological interventions performed in order to reverse frailty in these patients. A total of 25 articles were selected. Frailty prevalence ranged from 6% and 85.9%, depending on the COPD severity and the frailty measurement tool used. Frailty in COPD patients was related to a high prevalence of geriatric syndromes and to a high incidence of adverse events such as exacerbations, admissions, readmissions, and mortality. One study showed improvements in functionality after physical intervention. In conclusion, the prevalence of frailty is associated with a high incidence of geriatric syndromes and adverse events in COPD patients. The use of frailty screenings and a comprehensive geriatric assessment of COPD patients is advisable in order to detect associated problems and to establish individualized approaches for better outcomes.

Keywords: COPD; frailty; comprehensive geriatric assessment; outcomes; interventions; geriatric syndromes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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