Frailty linked to higher risk of death from Covid

FRAILTY is as important as either age or underlying health issues in determining whether someone may die from Covid-19, a new study has found.

Researchers from Cardiff University were involved in the research.

The analysis of 1,564 hospital patients at 10 sites in the UK and one in Italy by specialists in geriatric care suggests increasing frailty is linked to a higher risk of death and longer time spent in hospital.

The study, published in The Lancet Public Health, was carried out by researchers from Cardiff University, King’s College London, Salford Royal and North Bristol NHS trusts, among others, and is the first to explore the impact of frailty on death risk in the current pandemic.

The researchers said their findings showed frailty assessment was crucial to help make clinical decisions in Covid-19 treatment – and urged its use as a key indicator to assess a patient’s risk of dying.

Chief investigator and lead author Dr Jonathan Hewitt, from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine, said: “NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines put in place in March already recommend using frailty to assess Covid-19 patients – but we don’t know how much this is being used in practice.

“Our study shows it is vital to frontline care; every Covid-19 patient should be assessed for frailty because we now know that being frail – no matter how old you are or what underlying conditions you may have – affects your chance of recovery from this disease.

“Up until now, the focus has been on age and other health issues - but we believe this should now shift to frailty to make sure patients are receiving the appropriate, targeted treatment.”

Frailty is a clinical condition signified by a loss of reserves, energy and wellbeing that leaves people vulnerable to sudden changes in health and at risk of hospital admission, the need for long-term care or death.

Senior author Dr Kathryn McCarthy, a surgeon from North Bristol NHS Trust who researches frailty, said: “Greater awareness is needed around the concept of frailty and its use as a tool for assessment, both within hospitals and in the community.

“Frailty assessment is quick and easy, and training to carry it out is simple.”