How does hospitalization affect the frailty status of geriatric patients? Prospective study from internal medicine wards of a university hospital.

OBJECTIVES: Frailty is a dynamic process. Frailty in the baseline, discharge, and post-discharge are important in the management of patients. We aimed to see how hospitalization affects frailty and to evaluate its effects on health outcomes.

METHODS: It was conducted with patients aged 65 and over who were hospitalized in the internal medicine wards of a university hospital. Frailty was evaluated by Clinical Frailty Scale within the first 24 h of hospitalization, within 24 h before discharge, and at third months after discharge.

RESULTS: Ninety-six (57.8%) of patients at baseline, 79 (50.6%) at discharge, and 68 (47.9%) at 3 months were frail. According to baseline, 12 (7.7%) patients changed from frail to non-frail at discharge, while 4 (2.6%) patients became frail ( p  = 0.08). According to the baseline, 18 (12.5%) patients went from frail to non-frail at 3 months, while 7 (4.9%) patients turned frail ( p  = 0.04). In regression analysis, living with frailty at discharge and low education level increased re-hospitalization. Five or more are considered living with frailty.

DISCUSSION: Hospitalization may have positive effects on frailty in older adult patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards, the main effect is seen to be more significant in the post-discharge follow-up.