Brazilian Consensus On Frailty In Older People: Concepts, Epidemiology And Evaluation Instruments

• Main Authors: Roberto Alves Lourenço (Author), Virgílio Garcia Moreira (Author), Renato Gorga Bandeira de Mello (Author), Itamar de Souza Santos (Author), Sumika Mori Lin (Author), Ana Lúcia Fiebrantz Pinto (Author), Lygia Paccini Lustosa (Author), Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira Duarte (Author), Juliana Alcântara Ribeiro (Author), Clarice Câmara Correia (Author), Henrique Novaes Mansur (Author), Euler Ribeiro (Author), Roberta Rigo Dalla Corte (Author), Eduardo Ferriolli (Author), Carlos André Uehara (Author), Ana Maeda (Author), Tamara Petroni (Author), Terezinha Silva Lima (Author), Sergio Falcão Durão (Author), Ivan Aprahamian (Author), Carla Maria Avesani (Author), Wilson Jacob Filho (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 2024-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2447-2123; 10.5327/Z2447-211520181800023
• Keywords: aging; aged; health of the elderly; health vulnerability; frail elderly; Nursing; RT1-120; Geriatrics; RC952-954.6; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging, Vol 12, Pp 121-135 (2024)

The aim of the present study was to describe the conceptual and operational definitions of the frailty syndrome recommended by the Brazilian Consensus on Frailty in Older People. In 2015, a task force consisting of Brazilian specialists on human aging conducted a bibliographical review on frailty among older people in Brazil and established a consensus on the main findings through periodic meetings. A total of 72 articles were included in the analysis, comprising one systematic review, two conceptual discussions, two methodological descriptions, four longitudinal studies focusing on mortality and worsening of the frailty profile, eight cross-cultural adaptation studies, and 55 cross-sectional or prevalence studies. Forty-five studies (62.5%) used the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) frailty scale, of which seven (15.2%) used unadjusted cut-off points for their samples and 17 (36.9%) modified at least one of the five items of the instrument. The prevalence of frailty varied between 6.7 and 74.1%. When the CHS frailty scale was used, the wide range of prevalence - from 8 to 49.3% - depended on the cut-off points used to classify changes in gait speed and handgrip strength, as well as the research setting. The studies were based on four major conceptual models of frailty. Frailty in older people represents a state of physiological vulnerability and should not be confused with disabilities or multi-morbidities. In the Brazilian population, the prevalence of frailty has not yet been adequately estimated, and the cut-off points of the items of the frailty scales should be adapted to the parameters of this population.