Frailty Significantly Associated with a Risk for Mid-term Outcomes in Elderly Chronic Coronary Syndrome Patients: a...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability in the elderly, associated with higher risks of adverse events.
• Elderly patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) represent a growing population with complex health needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define frailty in elderly patients (≥ 70 years) diagnosed with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS).
• To evaluate the prognostic significance of frailty concerning mortality and adverse cardiac events in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 99 elderly patients (mean age 74 years) with CCS were assessed using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA) frailty score.
• Patients were categorized as frail or non-frail and followed for 12 months to compare clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• Fifty patients were classified as frail, exhibiting a 12-month Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) rate of 69.4% compared to 20% in non-frail patients.
• Frailty was associated with a 3.48-fold increased risk of MACE and a 6.05-fold increased risk of death.
• Multivariate analysis confirmed that higher CSHA frailty scores significantly predicted increased MACE and mortality (P=0.001 for MACE, P=0.016 for death).

Conclusions:

• Frailty is a significant independent predictor of poor outcomes in elderly patients with chronic coronary syndrome.
• The frailty score, assessed via CSHA, serves as a valuable prognostic marker for identifying high-risk elderly CCS patients.
• Routine frailty assessment is recommended for elderly CCS patients to guide clinical management and improve prognostication.