title: Development and significance of the frailty concept in the elderly: a possible modern view.
abstract: Frailty is an evolving concept that is generally defined in biomedical or psychosocial terms. It is not necessarily related to a specific single disease process. Passing by the theories of Selye (1936) on the exhaustion of the General Adaptation Syndrome,until reaching to the studies of Fried (2001) who, firstly, proposed diagnostic criteria for frailty, in this paper are explored different ways to understand this concept, until endeavour to give a possible modern view. The definition of a frailty syndrome characterized by a multi-system reduction in ?reserve capacity? remains widely accepted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Medicine, General Hospital University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrazzoli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sancesario
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans