Physical frailty
Physical frailty has been studied in 14 papers since 2018: 14 observational studies in people; 5 in the past year. The newest paper, Jul 6, 2026: “Social vulnerability, physical frailty, and mortality among middle-aged and older adults in China”.
14 papers study it13 findingsUpdated
See all 14 papers on physical frailty
At a glance
The findings reach people, from one lab or study. 7 independent labs in 3 countries.
“the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for incident epilepsy among those with prefrailty and frailty were 1.29 (1.19-1.40) and 1.81 (1.54-2.13)”
None of its findings points the other way.
- 7 independent labs in 3 countries
- Funders: First Hospital of Lanzhou University and 8 more
- 3 of 13 findings with company ties
- Humans14
What did studies of physical frailty find?
2Studies of physical frailty measured 2 outcomes; the most studied are T-cell phenotype (1 study) and excess mortality (1).
T-cell phenotype
no changein humans1
1 study
T-cell phenotype
no changein humans1
Physical frailty was not clearly linked with T-cell phenotype in humans.
“No particularly significant changes were observed in T cells.”
Humansperipheral blood
Immunity & ageing : I & A
Excess mortality
upin humans1
1 study
Excess mortality
upin humans1
Physical frailty is linked with higher excess mortality in humans (neuropsychiatric versus minimal disease multimorbidity class) (IRD 24.1 (robust), 27.1 (pre-frail), 108.4 (frail) per 1,000 person-years).
“Although HRs did not vary widely by frailty, the excess number of deaths, as reflected by IRDs, increased with greater frailty level.”
Humansneuropsychiatric versus minimal disease multimorbidity class4 years
Multimorbidity Patterns, Frailty, and Survival in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
What is physical frailty linked with?
11Studies link physical frailty with 11 measures, most often mortality (1 study), epilepsy (1) and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (1).
Mortality
upin humans1
1 study
Mortality
upin humans1
Physical frailty is linked with a higher risk of mortality in humans.
“both social vulnerability and physical frailty are associated with higher mortality risk independently.”
Humans7-year follow-up
Social vulnerability, physical frailty, and mortality among middle-aged and older adults in China
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Epilepsy
upin humans1HR 1.81
1 study
Epilepsy
upin humans1HR 1.81
Physical frailty is linked with a higher risk of epilepsy in humans (frail versus nonfrail) (HR 1.81 (95% CI 1.54-2.13)).
“the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for incident epilepsy among those with prefrailty and frailty were 1.29 (1.19-1.40) and 1.81 (1.54-2.13)”
Humansfrail versus nonfrail
Neurology
Left ventricular global longitudinal strain
downin humans1
1 study
Left ventricular global longitudinal strain
downin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with left ventricular global longitudinal strain in humans (β = 0.179).
“and decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain negativity (β = 0.179, p = 0.028), but there are no significant sex-frailty interactions (p > 0.05).”
Humansheartfemalesn = 24,946
BMC cardiovascular disorders
Left atrial ejection fraction
downin humans1
1 study
Left atrial ejection fraction
downin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with left atrial ejection fraction in humans (β = -0.797).
“Women exhibited functional impairment, characterized by smaller left atrial ejection fraction (β=−0.797, p = 0.002)”
Humansheartfemalesn = 24,946
BMC cardiovascular disorders
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume index
downin humans1
1 study
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume index
downin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with left ventricular end-diastolic volume index in humans (sex interaction showing steeper decline in men) (interaction β = -1.455).
“significant interactions were observed for left ventricular mass index (β=−1.474, p = 0.002) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (β=−1.455, p < 0.001), indicating steeper declines in men compared with women”
Humanssex interaction showing steeper decline in menheartmalesn = 48,993
BMC cardiovascular disorders
Left ventricular mass index
downin humans1
1 study
Left ventricular mass index
downin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with left ventricular mass index in humans.
“Frailty was negatively associated with biventricular and atrial volume indices, left ventricular mass index, and left ventricular wall thickness in both sexes (all p < 0.01).”
Humansheartn = 48,993
BMC cardiovascular disorders
Inflammation
upin humans1
1 study
Inflammation
upin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with inflammation in humans (independent of age and gender).
“the inflammatory state tends to increase with the progression to physical frailty”
Humansindependent of age and gender
Immunity & ageing : I & A
IFN-α-producing pDC
downin humans1
1 study
IFN-α-producing pDC
downin humans1
Physical frailty is associated with IFN-α-producing pDC in humans (compared with robust participants, logistic regression).
“physically frail participants had a significantly lower odds ratio for having high levels of IFN-α-producing pDC compared to robust participants”
Humanscompared with robust participants, logistic regressionperipheral blood
Immunity & ageing : I & A
Long-term care needs
upin humans1HR 2
1 study
Long-term care needs
upin humans1HR 2
Physical frailty is linked with a higher risk of long-term care needs in humans (frail vs robust, CHS criteria, multivariable-adjusted) (HR 2.00 (95% CI 1.32-3.02)).
“Baseline physical frailty was significantly associated with elevated risk of needing long-term care, with a multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-3.02) for being frail”
Humansfrail vs robust, CHS criteria, multivariable-adjustedCHS criteriamedian follow-up 5.8 yearsn = 1,554
The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Death
upin humans1HR 2.2
1 study
Death
upin humans1HR 2.2
Physical frailty is linked with a higher risk of death in humans (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.7-2.7; 56% vs 21% reference).
“only frail = 56%, HR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.7-2.7”
Humanscompared with no deficit, adjusted for sociodemographics, comorbidities, depression and smoking8 years
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society