Citation

Panza F, Sardone R, Dibello V, Daniele A, Solfrizzi V, Lozupone M. Lancet Neurol. 2022; 21(2): 107-108.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S1474-4422(21)00418-X

PMID

35065028

Abstract

In older age, frailty is defined as a homoeostatic imbalance due to multiple subclinical conditions that, together with the occurrence of ageing stressors, can exacerbate a functional decline in physiological reserves of systems. After two decades of clinical research, there is no consensus about a single operational definition of frailty, nor any universally accepted assessment tool, reference standard, clinical criteria, or biological markers. Three main frailty models are commonly used. The most widely used operational definition of frailty is a physical and biological model that describes a predominantly physical condition. The second definition is provided by the deficit accumulation model, which incorporates many factors, ranging from disease states and symptoms and signs to abnormal laboratory values. A third approach to frailty is based on the multidimensional biopsychosocial model, which combines physical and psychosocial domains. Thus, stemming from these three general models, frailty can encompass cognitive, social, psychological, oral, and nutritional phenotypes (ie, observable traits largely driven by environmental...

Language: en