High prevalence of frailty found among patients with chronic kidney disease

There is a high prevalence of frailty and prefrailty among individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study.

The study analyzed data from 177 adult patients with varying stages of CKD. The team employed the FRAIL scale, a comprehensive assessment tool consisting of five key indicators (fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and weight loss) to evaluate frailty status.

The results found a significant prevalence of frailty and prefrailty among patients with advanced CKD. Among individuals with stages 4-5 CKD, the prevalence of prefrailty was 50%, while frailty was observed in 11.9% of cases. In stage 3 CKD, prefrailty and frailty were recorded at rates of 29.6% and 9.3%, respectively. Notably, no cases of frailty were detected in patients with stages 1-2 CKD.

Multivariate logistic regression analysis provided insights into factors associated with frailty. An increase of 100 steps per day was inversely linked to frailty, indicating that higher physical activity levels were associated with a lower likelihood of being frail. Similarly, a rise of 5 units in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) showed an inverse association with frailty, suggesting that better kidney function was associated with a decreased risk of frailty.

Conversely, higher body mass index (BMI) was identified as a risk factor for both frailty and prefrailty. The study found that a higher BMI was correlated with an increased likelihood of being frail or prefrail, highlighting the potential influence of obesity on these conditions.

Reference
Yang C, Xiao C, Zeng J, et al. Prevalence and associated factors of frailty in patients with chronic kidney disease: a cross-sectional analysis of PEAKING study. Int Urol Nephrol. 2023;doi: 10.1007/s11255-023-03720-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37556106.