Feasibility and construct validity of a Frailty index for patients with chronic kidney disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the frailty status of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be measured using a Frailty index (FI).


METHODS
One hundred and eleven attending a nephrology clinic were approached to complete a one-page questionnaire evaluating cognitive, psychological and functional status. Data were coded as deficits, summed and divided by the total number of deficits considered, to derive an FI-CKD.


RESULTS
One hundred and ten (mean age 65.2 years) agreed to participate and assessments took approximately 10 minutes to complete. Mean FI-CKD was 0.25 (SD 0.12). The FI-CKD increased with age at 3% per year, correlated with a modified Fried phenotype (P < 0.001) and increased significantly across CKD stages (P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
The FI-CKD is feasible in the outpatient setting and has good construct validity. The greater granularity of a continuous measure has the potential to inform decision-making regarding appropriate interventions for patients at the 'frail' end of the health spectrum.
Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Ruth E
RE
Hubbard
Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Nancye M
NM
Peel
Ochsner Medical School, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.|School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Morgan
M
Smith
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Blake
B
Dawson
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Zahed
Z
Lambat
School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Melissa
M
Bak
Department of Nephrology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Jennifer
J
Best
Department of Nephrology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
David W
DW
Johnson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Frailty index; Fried Frailty; chronic kidney disease