What are common components of frailty?

What are common components of frailty?

• A. Weakness, slowness, exhaustion, weight loss.
• B. Weakness, obesity, hyperlipidemia, dehydration.
• C. Vision loss, hearing impairment, dizziness.
• D. Joint pain, osteoporosis, anemia, fatigue.

Answer: (A)

Frailty is often described using the Fried physical phenotype, which identifies a cluster of physical traits that signal limited reserve. The classic components are unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weakness (typically measured by grip strength), slow walking speed, and low physical activity. The option listing weakness, slowness, exhaustion, and weight loss lines up four of these five criteria, so it best reflects the common components seen in frailty. In practice, meeting three or more of these criteria suggests frailty. The other choices bring in features such as obesity, dehydration, sensory losses, or joint problems, which aren’t part of the standard frailty phenotype, even though they may occur in older adults.

Frailty is often described using the Fried physical phenotype, which identifies a cluster of physical traits that signal limited reserve. The classic components are unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weakness (typically measured by grip strength), slow walking speed, and low physical activity. The option listing weakness, slowness, exhaustion, and weight loss lines up four of these five criteria, so it best reflects the common components seen in frailty. In practice, meeting three or more of these criteria suggests frailty. The other choices bring in features such as obesity, dehydration, sensory losses, or joint problems, which aren’t part of the standard frailty phenotype, even though they may occur in older adults.