Does the frailty index applied to randomised controlled trials really measure frailty?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cumulative deficit frailty indices from randomised controlled trials (RCT) are increasingly used to assess whether trial findings are applicable to people living with frailty. The aim of this paper was to examine the range and type of deficits included in these frailty indices and compare these to those from cohort studies.

Methods

We identified RCTs assessing treatment effect modification using the cumulative deficit frailty index, as well as cohort studies assessing mortality risk associated with frailty, from recent systematic reviews. We extracted the deficits included in the frailty index from each RCT and cohort study. We compared the number of deficits, data sources (e.g. medical history, physical measurements, questionnaires, etc.) and physiological domain

SUBMITTER: Bousetta R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12551376 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature