Frailty among elderly candidates for thoracic surgery may go undetected prior to surgical procedure, which may prevent frailty reduction interventions that could improve outcomes, according to a study recently published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
For the study, researchers examined 125 patients at The University of Chicago Thoracic Surgery Clinic who were considered candidates for major thoracic surgery. The average age of study participants was 70. Patients were assessed for frailty in the categories of grip strength, slow gait, unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion and low self-reported physical activity. Participants were deemed frail if they displayed three to five frailty characteristics.
Assessment revealed 31 percent of participants were not frail, 57 percent showed signs of developing frailty and 12 percent were frail.
Frailty and signs of developing frailty have previously been identified as contributing to the risk of postoperative complications.
"This study indicated that a large number of patients who are candidates for major surgery have important risk factors related to frailty," said Mark K. Ferguson, MD, a professor of surgery with University of Chicago Medicine. "Knowing what these factors are can help physicians, patients, and the patients' families better understand the risks and may motivate them to participate in activities that reduce their risks."
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