Table 2 Frailty parameters within a population of community-dwellers aged 50–65, by age class (N = 411).

From: Several frailty parameters highly prevalent in middle age (50–65) are independent predictors of adverse events

Frailty parameters

Total

Age class

P values for trenda

P values for pairwise comparisonsb

[50–55]

[56–60]

[61–65]

50–55

versus

56–60

versus

N = 411

(n = 80)

(n = 165)

(n = 166)

56–60

61–65

61–65

Living alone

117 (28.5)

26 (32.5)

40 (24.2)

51 (30.7)

0.82

   

Number of comorbidities, median [range]

1 [0–5]

0 [0–2]

1 [0–5]

1 [0–5]

 < 0.001

0.02

 < 0.001

0.187

Nutrition

Unintentional weight loss in the past year, regardless of amount lost

56 (14.8)

11 (14.1)

25 (16.9)

20 (13.1)

0.69

   

Shrinking (unintentional weight loss in the past year > 4.5 kg)

17 (4.4)

–

–

–

–

   

Mobility, muscle strength and activity

Number of steps/day < 7500

161 (47.6)

33 (50.8)

61 (44.5)

67 (49.3)

0.91

   

Gait speed m/s, median [IQR]

1.43 [1.25–1.67]

1.44 [1.25–1.67]

1.43 [1.25–1.67]

1.43 [1.25–1.54]

0.02

0.745

0.057

0.057

Low level of physical activityc

150 (40.1)

37 (48.7)

57 (38.3)

56 (37.6)

0.13

0.201

0.201

0.905

Slowness (gait speed < 1 m/s)

6 (1.5)

–

–

–

–

   

Completion time in a five-time sit-to-stand test ≥ 11.19 s

33 (8.2)

7 (8.9)

16 (10.1)

10 (6.1)

0.34

   

Weaknessd

109 (26.7)

21 (26.3)

35 (21.6)

53 (31.9)

0.18

   

Appendicular lean mass index < 7.23 (males) or < 5.67 (females)

47 (11.4)

9 (11.3)

19 (11.5)

19 (11.5)

0.97

   

Sarcopenia

17 (4.2)

–

–

–

–

   

Balance

Failure to resist a sternal push

19 (4.8)

–

–

–

–

   

Ankle dorsiflexion < 20°

107 (26.8)

22 (28.2)

36 (22.8)

49 (30.1)

0.56

   

Cognition

MMSE ≤ lower quartile according to age and educational level

68 (16.9)

13 (16.5)

29 (18.0)

26 (16.1)

0.82

   

Five-word test score < 10

10 (2.4)

–

–

–

–

   

Seven-point clock-drawing test < 7

95 (23.2)

11 (13.8)

40 (24.5)

44 (26.5)

0.03

0.078

0.072

0.683

Frontal assessment battery < 16

51 (12.5)

6 (7.5)

18 (11.0)

27 (16.4)

0.03

0.392

0.171

0.233

Time to walk 10 m during a dual task, s, median [IQR]

Motor dual task

7 [6–8]

7 [6–7.9]

7 [6.1–8]

7 [6.2–8]

0.03

0.261

0.09

0.261

Cognitive dual task

7.3 [6.5–8.4]

7 [6–8.2]

7.1 [6.5–8]

7.6 [7–9]

0.006

0.368

0.045

0.045

Mood

Depressive symptoms (GDS ≥ 11/30 or 5/15)

54 (15.3)

15 (23.1)

22 (15.7)

17 (11.6)

0.03

0.303

0.093

0.305

Exhaustion

114 (31.3)

27 (39.1)

49 (32.2)

38 (26.6)

0.07

0.317

0.189

0.317

Hearing impairmente

66 (16.5)

8 (10.0)

30 (18.9)

28 (17.4)

0.25

   

Non-accidental fall(s) in the past year

27 (6.7)

3 (3.8)

9 (5.5)

15 (9.2)

0.09

0.756

0.305

0.305

  1. The data are quoted as the number (%), unless otherwise stated.
  2. P-values < 0.05 have been put in bold.
  3. IQR interquartile range, MMSE mini mental state examination, GDS geriatric depression scale.
  4. aP value for trend from the chi-squared statistic or Cuzick's test.
  5. bP value for the chi-squared or Kruskal–Wallis tests, corrected for multiple comparisons using the false-discovery rate method, for variables that yielded P values < 0.15.
  6. cLow level of physical activity: no regular physical activity (walking, recreational sports, and other physical activities) and number of steps/day < 7500.
  7. dWeakness was defined as grip strength (kg), stratified by sex and body mass index.
  8. eAbnormal finger rub test or use of a hearing aid.
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