Cardiovascular disease risk scores in identifying future frailty: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Preventive Healthcare

Background:

• Frailty is a significant geriatric syndrome associated with adverse health outcomes.
• Existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk algorithms are widely used in primary care for risk stratification.
• The predictive capacity of these CVD risk algorithms for frailty is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the ability of common cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk algorithms to predict the development of frailty.
• To determine if CVD risk scores can serve as a tool for identifying individuals at risk of frailty in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 3895 participants aged 45-69, free of CVD at baseline.
• Utilized Framingham CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke risk scores, and Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation at baseline (1997-1999).
• Assessed frailty status at follow-up (2007-2009) using indicators like exhaustion, physical activity, walking speed, grip strength, and weight loss.

Main Results:

• At follow-up, 2.8% of participants were classified as frail.
• All four CVD risk scores were significantly associated with an increased risk of developing frailty.
• Odds ratios per one SD increment in score ranged from 1.35 to 1.42, remaining significant after excluding new CVD cases.

Conclusions:

• Established cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores demonstrate utility in predicting future frailty.
• These algorithms may be valuable tools for frailty risk assessment in primary care.
• Integrating frailty prediction into CVD risk assessments could enhance patient management.