title: Marital Status and Frailty in Older People: Gender Differences in the Progetto Veneto Anziani Longitudinal Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Marital status has been associated with disability and mortality, but its potential role as a factor influencing frailty has yet to be thoroughly investigated. The analysis of gender-related differences in the relationship between marital status and frailty is another interesting matter that remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of our study was to examine the association between marital status and the incidence of frailty in a cohort of older men and women over a 4.4-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 1887 subjects older than 65 years, enrolled under the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) and with no evidence of frailty at baseline, were grouped by marital status. The incidence of frailty after 4.4 years was measured as the presence of at least three of the Fried criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the follow-up period, 414 (21.9%) new cases of frailty were identified. Multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated that male gender carried a higher risk of developing frailty among men who had never married (odds ratio [OR] = 3.84, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 2.76-5.35; p < 0.0001) and were widowed (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.06-1.95, p = 0.02) than among married participants. For female gender, widows had significantly lower odds of becoming frail than married women (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.66-0.91, p = 0.002). The determinants of frailty more influenced by marital status were unintentional weight loss, low daily energy expenditure, and exhaustion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marital status seems to significantly influence the onset of frailty, with some gender-specific differences. Unmarried men were at higher risk of frailty, while widowed women carried a lower risk of becoming frail than married women.
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Trevisan
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Veronese
authors: 2 National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience , Padova, Italy .
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Maggi
authors: 3 Internal Medicine Division , Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy .
authors: Giovannella
authors: G
authors: Baggio
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: De Rui
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Bolzetta
authors: 2 National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience , Padova, Italy .|4 Department of Medicine (DIMED), Clinica Medica I, University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Sabina
authors: S
authors: Zambon
authors: 4 Department of Medicine (DIMED), Clinica Medica I, University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Sartori
authors: 5 Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences - Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health Unit, University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Egle
authors: E
authors: Perissinotto
authors: 2 National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience , Padova, Italy .
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: Crepaldi
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .|2 National Research Council, Aging Branch, Institute of Neuroscience , Padova, Italy .
authors: Enzo
authors: E
authors: Manzato
authors: 1 Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova , Padova, Italy .
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Sergi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017533:Marital Status; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015431:Weight Loss