Frailty in patients over 65 years of age admitted to Intensive Care Units (FRAIL-ICU)

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of frailty in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and its impact upon ICU mortality at 1 and 6 months. Design: A prospective observational cohort study was carried out. Setting: Spanish ICU. Intervention: None. Patients and methods: Patients ≥ 65 years of age admitted to the ICU for > 24 hours. Variables were registered upon admission, and functional status was assessed by telephone calls 1 and 6 months after discharge from the ICU. Main study variables: Age, gender, frailty (FRAIL scale), functional status (Barthel, Lawton, Clinical Dementia Rating and NUTRIC score), days of mechanical ventilation (MV), functional score (APACHE II and SOFA), ICU mortality, and mortality 1 and 6 months after ICU discharge. Results: A total of 132 patients were evaluated, of which 46 were frail (34.9%). Age of the frail versus non-frail patients: 78.8 ± 7.2 and 78.6 ± 6.4 years, respectively (P = .43); male gender: 43.8% versus 56.3% (P = .10); SOFA score: 4.7 ± 2.9 versus 4.6 ± 2.9 (P = .75); MV: 33.3% versus 66.7% (P = .75); days of MV: 5.6 ± 15 versus 4.3 ± 8.1 (P = .57); ICU mortality 13% versus 6% (P = .14), mortality at 1 month 24% versus 8% (P = .01), mortality 6 months 32% versus 15% (P = .03). Frailty is associated with mortality at one month (OR = 3.5, P