Do accumulated frailty characteristics predict postoperative discharge institutionalization in geriatric patients?
Accumulated frailty characteristics, particularly prolonged up-and-go and functional dependence, strongly predict the need for institutional care after major surgery in geriatric patients.
Nearly 1 in 3 geriatric patients required discharge to an institutional care facility after major surgery. The frailty characteristics of prolonged up-and-go and any functional dependence were most closely related to the need for discharge institutionalization. Accumulation of a higher number of frailty characteristics in any one geriatric patient increased their risk of discharge institutionalization.
Robinson et al. (Fri,) studied this question.