title: Use of the frailty index in evaluating the prognosis of older people in Beijing: A cohort study with an 8-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Frailty is a significant healthcare challenge in China. However, the relationship between frailty and the prognosis of older people in China remains unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of frailty and determine if the frailty index, a comprehensive geriatric assessment, was associated with the prognosis of older people in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging, a representative cohort study with an 8-year follow-up. Evaluations based on the use of the frailty index were performed in a cohort of 1808 people aged 60 years and over residing in Beijing urban and rural areas. The initial survey was conducted in 2004, with follow-up surveys at 3, 5, and 8 years. Mortality data for all individuals were collected and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frailty index and the age of individuals showed the same trend, with a higher frailty index expected as age increased. Respondents with the same frailty index level differed across factors such as sex and location. Male individuals, rural dwellers, and older individuals showed higher frailty rates than female individuals, urban dwellers, and younger individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frailty is a condition associated with problems across multiple physiological systems. The frailty index increases with age, and may be a significant tool for evaluation of the prognosis of older people in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China; Department of Geriatrics, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China; Department of Geriatrics, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China. Electronic address: tangzhe@sina.com.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Ministry of Education, Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Gaizhen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000068476:Beijing; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Elderly; Frailty index; Prognosis comprehensive geriatric assessment