Key result
Lab-assessed frailty linked to ~268% higher mortality and increased readmissions in ACS patients post-PCI.
Why the study?
Frailty predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes but is rarely assessed in ACS due to practical limitations, prompting evaluation of a laboratory-based frailty index.
Does frailty status (assessed by FI-Lab) predict adverse outcomes in adult patients undergoing PCI for ACS?
Cohort (n=5,405)
Yes
Does frailty status (assessed by FI-Lab) predict adverse outcomes in adult patients undergoing PCI for ACS?
A laboratory-based frailty index independently predicts hospital readmission and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing PCI for ACS, supporting its use for early risk stratification.
FI-Lab frailty predicts outcomes after PCI in ACS; hypothesis-generating, needs prospective validation before clinical adoption.
AIM: Frailty is increasingly recognised as an age-independent predictor of adverse outcomes in cardiovascular disease, yet it is rarely assessed in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to practical limitations. This study examined the prognostic significance of frailty, assessed using a laboratory-based frailty index (FI-Lab), in patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a multicentre retrospective cohort study across five Korean hospitals using the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. Adult patients (≥18 years) who underwent PCI for ACS were included. Frailty status was determined as FI-Lab ≥ 0.4, calculated as the proportion of deficits across 28 routine laboratory variables, with inclusion restricted to patients having at least 70% of laboratory values available. Propensity score matching (1:1) and cox proportional hazards regression were employed to examine the relationships between frailty and clinical outcomes including recurrent acute myocardial infarction, hospital readmissions, and all-cause mortality. Of 5,405 patients, 25.2% were classified as frail. After matching, 929 pairs were analysed. Frailty was significantly associated with hospital readmission (HR 1.946; 95% CI 1.635-2.316) and all-cause mortality (HR 3.675; 95% CI 2.680-5.038), but not with recurrent AMI (HR 0.995; 95% CI 0.854-1.160). Subgroup analyses confirmed consistent associations across age and sex, with robust links to mortality in patients ≥65 years. CONCLUSION: Frailty, as assessed by FI-Lab, independently predicted hospital readmission and mortality after PCI in patients with ACS. Automated, laboratory-based frailty screening is feasible in acute settings and supports its integration into cardiovascular nursing for early risk stratification and personalised care.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Gan et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n=5,405). Frailty (FI-Lab ≥ 0.4) vs. Non-frail (FI-Lab < 0.4) was evaluated on All-cause mortality (HR 3.675, 95% CI 2.680-5.038). Frailty, assessed by a laboratory-based index, was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 3.675; 95% CI 2.680-5.038) and hospital readmission in ACS patients after PCI.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: