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. 2023 Oct;44(10):3509-3514.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-023-06885-8. Epub 2023 Jun 6.

Assessing frailty at the centers for dementia and cognitive decline in Italy: potential implications for improving care of older people living with dementia

G Bellelli  1   2 , A Zucchelli  3 , A Benussi  4 , E Pinardi  5 , S Caratozzolo  4 , A M Ornago  5 , M Cosseddu  4 , V Stella  5 , R Turrone  4 , F Massariello  6 , A Marengoni  3 , A Padovani  4
Affiliations

Assessing frailty at the centers for dementia and cognitive decline in Italy: potential implications for improving care of older people living with dementia

G Bellelli et al. Neurol Sci. 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Introduction: Frailty is strongly associated with the clinical course of cognitive impairment and dementia, thus arguing for the need of its assessment in individuals affected by cognitive deficits. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate frailty in patients aged 65 years and older referred to two Centers for Cognitive Decline and Dementia (CCDDs).

Methods: A total of 1256 patients consecutively referred for a first visit to two CCDDs in Lombardy (Italy) between January 2021 to July 2022 were included. All patients were evaluated by an expert physician in diagnosis and care of dementia according to a standardized clinical protocol. Frailty was assessed using a 24-items Frailty Index (FI) based on routinely collected health records, excluding cognitive decline or dementia, and categorized as mild, moderate, and severe.

Results: Overall, 40% of patients were affected by mild frailty and 25% of the sample has moderate to severe frailty. The prevalence and severity of frailty increased with decreasing Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score and advancing age. Frailty was also detected in 60% of patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusion: Frailty is common in patients referring to CCDDs for cognitive deficits. Its systematic assessment using a FI generated with readily available medical information could help develop appropriate models of assistance and guide personalization of care.

Keywords: Cognitive disorders; Dementia; Elderly; Frailty; Frailty index; Personalized medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Barplot showing the proportion of different frailty categories according to MMSE categories. BS = Brescia, MB = Monza
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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