Prevalence and Associations of Post-Stroke Frailty: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Geriatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Limited data exists on post-stroke frailty, particularly from South Asia.
• This study addresses the knowledge gap by investigating stroke survivors in a South Asian cohort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of post-stroke frailty.
• To identify factors associated with frailty after a stroke event.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 143 stroke survivors attending a tertiary care clinic was studied.
• Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), stroke severity with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIHSS) scale, and functional status with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).
• Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of post-stroke frailty.

Main Results:

• 33% of stroke survivors (47 out of 143) were identified as frail (CFS ≥5) at follow-up.
• Independent predictors of post-stroke frailty included increasing age (p=0.012), diabetes (p=0.039), and admission stroke severity (NIHSS score, p=0.001).
• Factors such as biological sex, stroke type, other vascular risk factors, and follow-up duration were not significantly associated with frailty.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to report on post-stroke frailty in South Asia.
• A significant proportion (one-third) of stroke survivors experience frailty.
• Older age, diabetes, and greater stroke severity are key independent predictors of post-stroke frailty, highlighting potential targets for intervention.