Frailty in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment as a result of Alzheimer's disease: A comparison of two models of frailty characterization

Abstract

Aim: To verify the prevalence and presence of frailty markers, and their relationship to cognitive function among older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Methods: This was an observational study with transversal analyses. Older adults with aMCI as a result of Alzheimer's disease (n = 40) were compared with healthy controls (n = 26) at the Psychogeriatric Outpatient Unit, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo. All participants were submitted to a broad clinical and neuropsychological evaluation. Frailty was evaluated according to the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) phenotype and the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS). MCI was diagnosed by a multidisciplinary consensus according to the Petersen criteria and cerebrospinal fluid analysis for Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.

Results: The prevalence of frailty was significantly higher in the aMCI compared with the control group when it was assessed with the EFS (P = 0.047), but not with the CHS (P = 0.255). The prevalence of frailty varied on the criteria used (EFS 7.5%; CHS 30%). The fatigue variable in the CHS (P = 0.036), and the mood (P = 0.019) and functional independence (P = 0.042) variables from the EFS were significantly different between the groups. Visuospatial function (OR 2.405, P = 0.042) was associated with the CHS criteria.

Conclusion: The identification of frailty features in aMCI appears to depend on the protocol used for evaluation. Visuospatial function showed a higher risk for frailty with the CHS. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2096-2102.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; cognition; frailty; mild cognitive impairment.