Frailty: an Emerging Research and Clinical Paradigm--issues and Controversies

Overview

Journal J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2007 Jul 20

PMID 17634320

Citations 390

Authors

Howard Bergman

Luigi Ferrucci

Jack Guralnik

David B Hogan

Silvia Hummel

Sathya Karunananthan

Christina Wolfson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Clinicians and researchers have shown increasing interest in frailty. Yet, there is still considerable uncertainty regarding the concept and its definition. In this article, we present perspectives on key issues and controversies discussed by scientists from 13 different countries, representing a diverse range of disciplines, at the 2006 Second International Working Meeting on Frailty and Aging. The following fundamental questions are discussed: What is the distinction, if any, between frailty and aging? What is its relationship with chronic disease? Is frailty a syndrome or a series of age-related impairments that predict adverse outcomes? What are the critical domains in its operational definition? Is frailty a useful concept? The implications of different models and approaches are examined. Although consensus has yet to be attained, work accomplished to date has opened exciting new horizons. The article concludes with suggested directions for future research.

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