title: Frailty in Chinese Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Prevalence and Prognostic Significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies showed that frailty is prevalent in both pre-dialysis and dialysis patients. However, the prevalence and prognostic implication of frailty in Chinese peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remain unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a validated questionnaire to determine the Frailty Score of 193 unselected prevalent PD patients. All patients were then followed for 2 years for their need of hospitalization and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amongst the 193 patients, 134 (69.4%) met the criteria of being frail. Frailty Score significantly correlated with Charlson's comorbidity score (r = 0.40, p < 0.0001), Malnutrition Inflammation Score (r = 0.59, p < 0.0001), and inversely with Subjective Global Assessment score (r = -0.44, p < 0.0001). Frailty was closely associated with the need of hospitalization. Patients with nil, mild, moderate, and severe frailty required 2.4 ± 6.0, 1.6 ± 1.6, 2.7 ± 2.5, 5.2 ± 4.8 hospital admissions per year, respectively (p < 0.0001), and they stayed in hospital for 6.4 ± 9.2, 5.3 ± 6.2, 10.0 ± 10.4, 12.9 ± 20.1 days per hospital admission, respectively (p < 0.0001). However, Frailty Score was not an independent predictor of patient or technique survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frailty is prevalent among Chinese PD patients. Frail PD patients have a high risk of requiring hospitalization and their hospital stay tends to be prolonged. Early identification may allow timely intervention to prevent adverse health outcomes in this group of patients.
authors: Carol &amp; Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine &amp; Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Jack Kit-Chung
authors: JK
authors: Ng
authors: Bonnie Ching-Ha
authors: BC
authors: Kwan
authors: Kai-Ming
authors: KM
authors: Chow
authors: Phyllis Mei-Shan
authors: PM
authors: Cheng
authors: Man-Ching
authors: MC
authors: Law
authors: Wing-Fai
authors: WF
authors: Pang
authors: Chi-Bon
authors: CB
authors: Leung
authors: Philip Kam-Tao
authors: PK
authors: Li
authors: Cheuk-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Szeto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires