title: Components of the Frailty Phenotype in Relation to the Frailty Index: Results From the Toulouse Frailty Platform.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The frailty phenotype proposed by Fried and colleagues is a widely used frailty screening instrument, consisting of 5 components: weight loss, exhaustion, low grip strength, slow gait speed, and low physical activity. Although equally considered in the computation of the frailty phenotype score, each of the components may present a specific and different weight in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to estimate the weight of each frailty phenotype component in terms of age-related deficit accumulation, defined according to the frailty index (FI) proposed by Rockwood and colleagues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were used from 484 frail older adults admitted to a geriatric day hospital unit of the Toulouse University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome measure was a 35-item FI based on data routinely collected as part of a clinical assessment. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were used to determine which components of the frailty phenotype were most strongly associated with the FI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the participants was 83.2 (SD 6.0). All components of the frailty phenotype were significantly associated with the FI, but the magnitude of the associations varied. Linear regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, and educational level showed that slow gait speed was the most informative component (B = 0.129, P < .001) and weight loss was the least informative component (B = 0.027, P = .037). The combination of slow gait speed and low physical activity was the most strongly associated with the FI (B = 0.144, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the 5 components of the phenotype, slow gait speed seems to be the key indicator of frailty.
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France. Electronic address: emielhoogendijk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emiel O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Hoogendijk
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Gabor Abellan
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: van Kan
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France; INSERM UMR 1027, Paul Sabatier University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guyonnet
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France; INSERM UMR 1027, Paul Sabatier University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vellas
authors.affiliation: Gérontopôle, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France; INSERM UMR 1027, Paul Sabatier University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005602:France; D005684:Gait; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010641:Phenotype
keywords: Frail elderly; frailty index; frailty phenotype; screening