Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
Intersecting Genetics of Frailty and Cardiovascular Disease
Y Ahisar1, G Thanassoulis, K N Huang
1Jonathan Afilalo, MD, MSc, FACC, FRCPC, Associate Professor, McGill University, Director, Geriatric Cardiology Fellowship Program, Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Ste Catherine Rd, E-222, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Phone: (514) 340-7540 | Fax: (514) 340-7534,
Objectives:
To determine the genetic correlates of physical frailty and sarcopenia, focusing on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and to explore the genetic overlap of frailty with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors.
Methods:
PubMed was systematically searched for GWAS studies investigating the association between SNPs and objective measures of physical frailty or sarcopenia. SNPs were retained if they were associated with one of the phenotypes of interest by a p-value of 5.0x10-8 or less.
Results:
Ten studies were included, with a total of 237 SNPs in 181 genes being associated with physical frailty or sarcopenia; as measured by handgrip strength or lean (muscle) mass. These genes were cross-referenced in the GWAS Catalog, and many of them were found to be associated with CVD or metabolic syndrome.
Conclusions:
Evidence from GWAS has shown that frailty is associated with common genetic polymorphisms. Many of these polymorphisms have been implicated in CVD, supporting the hypothesis of a shared pathophysiology between these entities. Future studies are eagerly anticipated to map out the mechanistic links and discover therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for frailty.
Related Concept Videos
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology of Heart Failure

