Standardization of the Fried frailty phenotype improves cardiovascular disease risk discrimination

Integrated Dynamic Autonomic and Cardiovascular Regulation during Postural Transitions in Older Adults Living with Frailty: A Systematic Review Protocol

Older adults often experience episodes of a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing, known as orthostatic hypotension (OH). OH is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening health problems, falls, and death. Although OH has been studied in older adults, the integrated dynamic autonomic and cardiovascular regulation during postural transitions in older adults with frailty remains scarce and poorly understood. The primary aim of this systematic review is to determine the association between how active (e.g., lie-to-stand) and passive (head-up tilt) postural transitions affect the dynamic integrated autonomic and cardiovascular regulatory responses, comparing older adults with different levels of frailty (non-frail, pre-frail, or frail). A second aim is to perform a meta-analysis to compare autonomic and cardiovascular responses during active postural transitions in non-frail, pre-frail, and frail older adults. The systematic review will be outlined according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. The meta-analysis will generate estimates of the comparative autonomic and cardiovascular responses after active postural transitions in adults who are non-frail, pre-frail, and frail. This systematic review will provide critical information on how integrated dynamic autonomic and cardiovascular regulation occurs during postural transitions in older adults with different frailty statuses.

Pre-Frailty Phenotype and Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults Free of Cardiovascular Diseases

PURPOSE

Arterial stiffness is a subclinical marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The pre-frailty phenotype is associated with a higher risk for CVD. This study investigated the association between the pre-frailty phenotype and arterial stiffness in community-dwelling older adults without diagnosed CVD.

METHODS

In total, 249 community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80 years were included in this cross-sectional study. The pre-frailty phenotype was defined by the standardized Fried criteria (muscle weakness; slow walking speed; low physical activity; unintentional weight loss; self-reported exhaustion). Participants with one or two standardized Fried criteria were classified as pre-frail and those with zero criteria as robust. Arterial stiffness was measured by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV). The data were analyzed using the generalized linear model.

RESULTS

From 249 participants (66.1 ± 5.3 years; 79.5% females), 61.8% (n = 154) were pre-frail and 38.2% (n = 95) robust. Pre-frail older adults had a higher aPWV (β = 0.19 m/s; p = 0.007) compared to their robust peers.

CONCLUSIONS

The pre-frailty phenotype was associated with higher arterial stiffness in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80 years. Pre-frail older adults may have a higher risk for CVD.

Frailty status and cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle-aged and older females

OBJECTIVE

Frailty and pre-frailty are known to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the risk profiles of females are not well characterized. The aim of this study is to characterize the CVD risk profiles of robust, pre-frail and frail females.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis of 985 females ≥55 years with no self-reported history of CVD were recruited. Frailty was assessed using the Fried Criteria with the cut-points standardized to the cohort. Framingham risk scores (FRS), the 4-test Rasmussen Disease Score (RDS), and the CANHEART health index were used to characterize composite CVD risk. Individual measures of CVD risk included blood lipids, artery elasticity assessments, exercise blood pressure response, 6-min walk test (6MWT), sedentary time and PHQ-9 score.

RESULTS

The cohort comprised of 458 (46.4%) robust, 464 (47.1%) pre-frail and 63 (6.4%) frail females with a mean age of 66 ± 6 (SD) years. Pre-frail females were at increased odds of taking diabetes medications (OR 3.04; 95% CI 1.27-7.27), hypertension medications (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.44-2.82), having an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise (OR 1.878; 95% CI 1.39-2.50), mild depression symptoms (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.68-338), and lower fitness as assessed by 6MWT (OR 5.74; 95% CI 3.18-10.37), even after controlling for age and relevant medications. Pre-frail females were also at increased odds for having CVD risk scores indicating higher risk with the FRS (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.12-2.05), the RDS (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.21-2.10) and the CANHEART risk score (OR 3.07; 95% CI 2.04-4.62). These odds were higher when frail females were compared to their robust peers.

CONCLUSION

Frailty and pre-frailty were associated with higher odds of presenting with CVD risk factors as compared to robust females, even after controlling for age.

Myokines as biomarkers of frailty and cardiovascular disease risk in females

Frailty is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Biomarkers have the potential to detect the early stages of frailty, such as pre-frailty. Myokines may act as biomarkers of frailty-related disease progression, as a decline in muscle health is a hallmark of the frailty phenotype. This study is a secondary analysis of 104 females 55 years of age or older with no previous history of CVD. Differences in systemic myokine concentrations based on frailty status and CVD risk profile were examined using a case-control design. Propensity matching identified two sets of 26 pairs with pre-frailty as the exposure variable in low or elevated CVD risk groups for a total 104 female participants. Frailty was assessed using the Fried Criteria (FC) and CVD risk was assessed using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Factorial ANOVA compared the main effects of frailty, CVD risk, and their interaction on the concentrations of 15 myokines. Differences were found when comparing elevated CVD risk status with low for the concentrations of EPO (384.76 ± 1046.07 vs. 206.63 ± 284.61 pg/mL, p = .001), FABP3 (2772.61 ± 3297.86 vs. 1693.31 ± 1019.34 pg/mL, p = .017), FGF21 (193.17 ± 521.09 vs. 70.18 ± 139.51 pg/mL, p = .010), IL-6 (1.73 ± 4.97 vs. 0.52 ± 0.89 pg/mL, p = .023), and IL-15 (2.62 ± 10.56 vs. 0.92 ± 1.25 pg/mL, p = .022). Pre-frail females had lower concentrations of fractalkine compared to robust (27.04 ± 20.60 vs. 103.62 ± 315.45 pg/mL, p = .004). Interaction effects between frailty status and CVD risk for FGF21 and OSM were identified. In elevated CVD risk, pre-frail females, concentrations of FGF21 and OSM were lower than that of elevated CVD risk, robust females (69.10 ± 62.86 vs. 317.24 ± 719.69, p = .011; 1.73 ± 2.32 vs. 24.43 ± 69.21, p = .018, respectively). These data identified specific biomarkers of CVD risk and biomarkers of frailty that are exacerbated with CVD risk.