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Diagnostics
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Risk Factors for Frailty in Older Adults
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Risk Factors for Frailty in Older Adults

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1667

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Agustín Aibar Almazán

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Interests: exercise; older adults; cognitive decline; physical function; mental health; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue entitled “Risk Factors for Frailty in Older Adults” explores the various factors that contribute to the onset and progression of frailty among older populations. Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome characterized by decreased strength, endurance, and physiological function, which increases vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. This depends on both intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors such as genetic predispositions, chronic diseases, nutritional deficiencies, physical inactivity, and social determinants such as isolation and socioeconomic status. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to improve understanding and provide insights to develop preventive measures and interventions to mitigate frailty, thereby improving the quality of life and health outcomes of older adults.

Prof. Dr. Agustín Aibar Almazán
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • frailty
  • older adults
  • risk factors
  • chronic diseases
  • nutritional deficiencies
  • physical inactivity
  • social determinants
  • genetic predispositions
  • preventive measures
  • interventions
  • quality of life
  • health outcomes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1052 KiB  
Article
Sex Bias in Frailty Screening: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of PRISMA-7 and the Clinical Frailty Scale in Primary Care
by Christian J. Wiedermann, Verena Barbieri, Dietmar Ausserhofer, Adolf Engl, Giuliano Piccoliori and Angelika Mahlknecht
Diagnostics 2025, 15(7), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15070915 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Frailty screening is essential in primary care for the early identification of vulnerable older adults. PRISMA-7 is a widely used screening tool, but Item 2 (“Are you male?”) introduces potential sex bias and overestimates frailty in men. PRISMA-6, a modified version [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Frailty screening is essential in primary care for the early identification of vulnerable older adults. PRISMA-7 is a widely used screening tool, but Item 2 (“Are you male?”) introduces potential sex bias and overestimates frailty in men. PRISMA-6, a modified version that excludes Item 2, might provide a more equitable alternative. This study evaluates PRISMA-6’s alignment with the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and its impact on sex-specific frailty classification. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 142 general practices across South Tyrol, including 9190 general practice patients aged ≥75 years. Frailty was assessed using PRISMA-7, PRISMA-6, and the CFS. Correlations between tools were calculated using Kendall’s Tau-b, whereas Fisher’s z-test was used to compare differences in alignment. The frailty prevalence and odds ratios were stratified according to sex and age. Results: PRISMA-6 showed a stronger correlation with the CFS (τ = 0.492) than PRISMA-7 (τ = 0.308, z = −10.2, p < 0.001). This effect was pronounced in men (z = −9.8, p < 0.001), whereas no difference was observed in women (z = 0.00, p = 1.000). PRISMA-6 reduced the frailty detection rate in men and was more closely aligned with the CFS. Conclusions: PRISMA-6 demonstrated improved alignment with the CFS and reduced sex bias compared to PRISMA-7. However, its use as a screening tool for men requires prospective validation in diverse settings. PRISMA-6 shows promise as a reliable and equitable frailty screening tool and should be considered for use in future studies, particularly in primary care settings, while awaiting further prospective validation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Factors for Frailty in Older Adults)
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13 pages, 526 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dance-Based Aerobic Training on Frailty and Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Marcelina Sánchez-Alcalá, Agustín Aibar-Almazán, María del Carmen Carcelén-Fraile, Yolanda Castellote-Caballero, Javier Cano-Sánchez, Alexander Achalandabaso-Ochoa, Juan Miguel Muñoz-Perete and Fidel Hita-Contreras
Diagnostics 2025, 15(3), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15030351 - 3 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1082
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the effects of a dance-based aerobic training program on frailty, cognitive impairment, executive functions, and verbal fluency in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: Randomized clinical trial, whose sample was made up [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the effects of a dance-based aerobic training program on frailty, cognitive impairment, executive functions, and verbal fluency in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: Randomized clinical trial, whose sample was made up of 92 older adults, of which 47 performed rhythmic physical activity for 12 weeks. Data on frailty were collected through FRAIL, cognitive function through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), cognitive impairment through The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), verbal fluency using the Isaac test, and executive functions with the Trail Making Test (TMT). All variables were measured before and after the intervention by an independent researcher blinded to the treatment. Results: Participants in the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in frailty (Cohen’s d = 0.60), cognitive function (Cohen’s d = 0.98), cognitive impairment (Cohen’s d = 1.22), verbal fluency (Cohen’s d = 0.61) and executive functions (Cohen’s d = 0.64). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a 12-week dance-based aerobic training program can significantly reduce frailty and improve cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. These improvements suggest that the intervention is not only effective in terms of physical health, but also in promoting mental health and general well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk Factors for Frailty in Older Adults)
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