Frailty, sarcopenia, cachexia and malnutrition as comorbid conditions and their associations with mortality: a prospective study from UK Biobank

Petermann-Rocha, F., Pell, J. P. , Celis-Morales, C. and Ho, F. K. (2022) Frailty, sarcopenia, cachexia and malnutrition as comorbid conditions and their associations with mortality: a prospective study from UK Biobank. Journal of Public Health, 44(2), e172-e180. (doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa226) (PMID:33423060)

Abstract

Background: Frailty, sarcopenia, cachexia and malnutrition are clinical conditions that share similar diagnostic criteria. This study aimed to investigate the clustering and mortality risk among these clinical conditions in middle- and older-aged adults. Methods: 111 983 participants from UK Biobank were included. Sarcopenia was defined according to the EWGSOP 2019 while frailty using a modified version of the Fried criteria. Cachexia was defined using the Evans et al. classification and malnutrition using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition. The exposure variable was categorized as: no conditions; frailty only (one condition); frailty with sarcopenia (two conditions); frailty with ≥2 other conditions (three or four conditions). Its association with all-cause mortality was investigated using Cox-proportional hazard analysis. Results: Frailty had the highest prevalence (45%) and was present in 92.1% of people with malnutrition and everyone with sarcopenia or cachexia. Compared with people with no conditions, those with frailty only and frailty with sarcopenia had higher risk of all-cause mortality. Individuals with frailty plus ≥2 other conditions had even higher risk (HR: 4.96 [95% CI: 2.73 to 9.01]). Conclusions: The four clinical conditions investigated overlapped considerably, being frailty the most common. The risk of all-cause mortality increased with the increasing number of conditions in addition to frailty.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Celis, Dr Carlos and Pell, Professor Jill and Ho, Dr Frederick and Petermann-Rocha, Mrs Fanny
• Authors: Petermann-Rocha, F., Pell, J. P., Celis-Morales, C., and Ho, F. K.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: Journal of Public Health
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 1741-3842
• ISSN (Online): 1741-3850
• Published Online: 11 January 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Public Health 44(2): e172-e180
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher