Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP86-01
Sources of Funding: NIDDK K12 DK83021-07

Introduction

Frailty, defined as a measure of decreased physiologic reserve, is strongly associated with increased susceptibility to disability and poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the extent of frailty among patients with various urologic diagnoses and to explore whether or not frailty differed between patients who did and did not undergo urologic surgery.

Methods

This is a prospective study of men and women ages 65 and older presenting to an academic non-oncologic urology practice between December 2015 and May 2016. Frailty was measured in individuals via the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) upon intake. Based on the TUGT, individuals were classified as not frail (?10 sec), intermediately frail (11-14 sec) or frail (?15 sec). The TUGT and other clinical data were abstracted from the electronic medical record using EPIC analytical software into an on-going database. TUGT values were reported overall, by urologic diagnosis, and according to whether or not they were associated with a urologic procedure.

Results

There were 1089 unique individuals who presented to our practice and had a TUGT during the study period. Among these individuals, the mean age was 73.3 (±6.3) years, 77.6% were male, 64.7% were white and the mean TUGT was 11.6 (±6.0) seconds, with 30.0% and 15.2% classified as intermediately frail and frail, respectively. TUGT time (and hence frailty) increased linearly with increasing age (Figure). TUGT values differed by urologic diagnosis ranging from 9.9 (±3.0) seconds among individuals with general male urology diagnoses to 14.3 (±11.9) seconds among individuals with urinary tract infections (UTIs). There were no statistically significant differences in TUGT values between individuals who did and did not undergo urologic surgery.

Conclusions

Frailty is common, increases with age, and varies based on urologic diagnosis among individuals presenting to an academic non-oncologic urology practice. Interestingly, frailty did not differ between individuals who did and did not undergo urologic surgery, suggesting that there is a potential opportunity to incorporate frailty into the perioperative decision-making process. Since frailty is prevalent among urologic patients and linked to poor outcomes, consideration of frailty in the surgical decision-making process is warranted and may improve outcomes.

Funding

NIDDK K12 DK83021-07