title: Correlation between Frailty and Cognitive Function in Non-Demented Community Dwelling Older Koreans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Frailty and cognitive impairment are considered the most common and yet least understood conditions in older adults. This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between frailty and cognitive function in non-demented older Koreans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Korean Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE) scores and Cardiovascular Health Study Frailty Indices were obtained for 486 older adults aged 65 and over who registered at six senior welfare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify the association between frailty and K-MMSE scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 486 older adults, 206 (42.4%) were robust, 244 (50.2%) were prefrail, and 36 (7.4%) were frail. Prevalence of cognitive impairment (K-MMSE ≤ 23) was 6.3% in the robust group, 16.8% in the prefrail group, and 30.6% in the frail group (P < 0.001), and mean K-MMSE score was 27.5 ± 2.2, 26.5 ± 3.1, and 23.7 ± 5.3, respectively (P < 0.001). Frailty tended to be associated with lower MMSE scores (B = -1.92, standard error, 0.52; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frailty was found to be correlated with cognitive impairment in non-demented older Koreans. However, further cohort studies are required to determine the association between frailty and cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon Pyo
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Aging; Cognition; Frail Elderly; Koreans