Investigation and analysis of frailty and nutrition status in older adult patients with hip fracture

Abstract

BackgroundTo analyze the current situation of frailty and the main influencing factors of frailty of older patients with hip fracture.MethodsUsing a fixed‐point consecutive sampling method, we investigated older adult patients with hip fracture aged ≥60 years who were hospitalized in an orthopedic ward of a tertiary hospital from January 2021 to March 2022. We also assessed the prevalence of frailty and malnutrition by trial of the fatigue, resistance, aerobic capacity, illnesses, and loss of weight (FRAIL) scale and the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria to analyze the factors influencing frailty.ResultsA total of 216 older adult patients with hip fracture were collected, 106 (49.08%) were frail, 72 (33.33%) were prefrail, 38 (17.59%) were nonfrail, 103 (47.69%) were at overall nutrition risk, and 76 (35.19%) were malnourished. The results of bivariate correlation analysis showed that frailty score was correlated with age, the Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL) score, body mass index (BMI), C‐reactive protein, hemoglobin (Hb), serum albumin (ALB), and serum prealbumin, and was negatively correlated with ADL score, BMI, Hb, and ALB (r = −0.399, −0.420, −0.195, −0.283, respectively; P < 0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, number of underlying diseases, ADL score, BMI score, and nutrition status were important influencing factors of frailty (P < 0.05).ConclusionOlder adult patients with hip fracture are frail and prefrail, with a high prevalence of malnutrition. Advanced age, combined underlying diseases, and a low BMI score were risk factors for preoperative frailty.

Association of Nutritional Risk With Gait Function and Activities of Daily Living in Older Adult Patients With Hip Fractures

“…The relationship between nutritional risk and gait should be considered in frailty and sarcopenia cases. There is a consensus that malnutrition in older adults is associated with frailty and sarcopenia [ 27 ], and the malnourished status of patients with hip fractures causes frailty [ 28 ] and sarcopenia [ 29 ]. The diagnostic criteria for frailty and sarcopenia include a decline in gait function [ 30 , 31 ], making it evident that a close relationship exists between these conditions and gait function.…”