Synergistic factors impacting quality-adjusted life years in the frail elderly population

We aim to analyse which factors predominantly influence the QALYs related to geriatric frailty syndrome (QALYs-frail) in octogenarians.

Prospective observational study of 63 frail octogenarian patients admitted to the medical area. Clinical-demographic variables were collected, as well as quality of life (EuroQoL-5D-5L), nutritional status (MNA-SF), dependence (Barthel scale), comorbidity, and the ADLs related to frailty. Statistical models were carried out to study the association between the different variables and to find predictive factors.

Patients with better nutritional status showed a positive correlation with the AVACs-frail (r=0.4, p=0.003), as did patients with a lower degree of dependence (r=0.71, p<0.001). When adding multimorbidity, a significant negative correlation was identified (r=-0.16, p=0.002). The same happened with age (r=-0.43, p<0.001).

Managing fragility poses a challenge, but specific interventions could have an impactful and cost-effective effect on this vulnerable subgroup of the population.