Frailty as a predictor of mortality in COVID-19 patients receiving CPAP for respiratory insufficiency

• DOI: 10.1007/s40520-021-02070-z
• Publication Date: 2022-03-17T08:04:41Z
• Authors: Sarah Damanti; Giuseppe Alvise R...; Enrica Paola Bozzolo; Valentina Da Prat; Giuseppe Di Lucca; Gaetano Di Terlizzi; Alessandro Marinosci; Raffaella Scotti; Silvia Strada; Paolo Scarpellini; Barbara Castiglioni; Chiara Oltolini; Marco Ripa; Chiara Tassan Din; Clarissa Elisabet...; Flavia Di Scala; Agnese Gobbi; Ada Carla Alba; Giuseppina Maria ...; Anna Morgillo; Moreno Tresoldi
• Keywords: Male; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; Frailty; Short Communication; Frail Elderly; COVID-19; Comorbidity; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Non-invasive ventilation; Humans; Female; Mortality; Respiratory Insufficiency; Geriatric Assessment; Aged

Exploring the association between frailty and mortality in a cohort of patients with COVID-19 respiratory insufficiency treated with continuous positive airway pressure.Frailty was measured using a Frailty Index (FI) created by using the baseline assessment data on comorbidities and body mass index and baseline blood test results (including pH, lactate dehydrogenase, renal and liver function, inflammatory indexes and anemia). FI > 0.25 identified frail individuals.Among the 159 included individuals (81% men, median age of 68) frailty was detected in 69% of the patients (median FI score 0.3 ± 0.08). Frailty was associated to an increased mortality (adjusted HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.02-3.88, p = 0.04).Frailty is highly prevalent among patients with COVID-19, predicts poorer outcomes independently of age. A personalization of care balancing the risk and benefit of treatments (especially the invasive ones) in such complex patients is pivotal.