Development of a simple frail index that can be used in the office

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Kohara Katsuhiko 愛媛大学, 社会共創学部, 教授 (30260384)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: フレイル / サルコペニア / 動脈スティフネス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have developed a simple physical flail assessment method that can be used in the office. A simple index that combines reduced grip strength and shortened one-leg standing time with eyes open was associated with various physical, mental and psychological frail factors such as cognitive function, respiratory function, muscle mass, sway of the center of gravity, and arteriosclerosis index. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that it can be used as a tool for screening for mild cognitive decline (MCI). By adding vital capacity, body sway, and arterial stiffness, the diagnostic accuracy of MCI could be further increased. Based on the results of the study, it is conceivable that physical frailty, mental/psychological frailty, and social frail are related to each other by high arterial stiffness as a common underlying mechanism.

Free Research Field

老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

診察室で特別な機器を必要としない身体的フレイルの評価が可能になることで、日常臨床におけるフレイルのスクリーニングが容易になる。さらに、本簡易指標が軽度認知機能低下(MCI)とも関連することから、認知機能テストを行わず、MCIのスクリーニングが可能になる。これは、特に認知機能テストを受けることに抵抗がある例に有用である。動脈スティフネスの亢進が、身体的、精神・心理的、社会的フレイルの共通の要因であることが明らかになったことより、動脈硬化の予防がフレイル予防の戦略となる可能性がある。