Table 1.
Differences in patient characteristics among patients assessed as frail according to the FP, FI, and CFS
| Variable | Frailty Phenotype Score of ≥3 (n=88, 16%) | Frailty Index Score of ≥0.25 (n=183, 34%) | Clinical Frailty Scale Score of ≥4 (n=81, 15%) |
| Demographics | |||
| Age (yr), mean±SD | 58±14 | 57±13 | 46±12 |
| Age >65 yr, n (%) | 36 (41) | 56 (31) | 27 (34) |
| Male sex, n (%) | 51 (58) | 114 (62) | 46 (57) |
| White race, n (%) | 73 (83) | 145 (79) | 62 (77) |
| Site, n (%) | |||
| Atlantic Canada | 11 (13) | 32 (17) | 20 (25) |
| Hamilton | 14 (16) | 32 (17) | 26 (32) |
| London | 60 (68) | 115 (63) | 27 (33) |
| Montreal | 3 (3) | 4 (2) | 8 (10) |
| Cause of ESKD, n (%) | |||
| DM | 35 (40) | 74 (40) | 30 (37) |
| Vascular/HTN | 5 (6) | 11 (6) | 1 (1) |
| GN | 20 (23) | 40 (26) | 18 (22) |
| Congenital | 12 (14) | 21 (11) | 9 (11) |
| Structural | 5 (6) | 10 (5) | 7 (9) |
| Other | 11 (13) | 27 (15) | 16 (20) |
| Dialysis vintage yr, median (IQR) | 1.2 (0.4–2.2) | 1.2 (0.2–2.2) | 2.0 (1.2–2.9) |
| Dialysis type, n (%) | |||
| HD | 54 (61) | 107 (58) | 55 (68) |
| PD | 20 (23) | 46 (25) | 18 (22) |
| Pre-emptive | 13 (15) | 28 (15) | 5 (6) |
| Unknown | 1 (1) | 2 (1) | 3 (4) |
| Laboratory investigations, mean±SD | |||
| Albumin (g/L) | 37±6 | 37±5 | 36±6 |
| Hemoglobin (g/L) | 108±14 | 108±15 | 107±15 |
| Parathyroid hormone (pg/mL) | 51±53 | 50±48 | 57±54 |
| Comorbidities, n (%) | |||
| DM | 45 (51) | 99 (54) | 46 (57) |
| CAD | 25 (28) | 52 (29) | 22 (27) |
| CHF | 28 (32) | 72 (39) | 25 (31) |
| CVD | 12 (14) | 23 (13) | 12 (15) |
| PVD | 9 (10) | 20 (11) | 8 (10) |
| Chronic lung disease | 5 (6) | 15 (8) | 10 (12) |
| Chronic liver disease | 6 (7) | 11 (6) | 8 (10) |
| Previous malignancy | 14 (16) | 27 (15) | 13 (16) |
| Previous kidney transplant, n (%) | 6 (7) | 18 (10) | 8 (10) |
| BMI, n (%) | |||
| Underweight (<18.5 kg/m2) | 2 (2) | 7 (4) | 4 (5) |
| Normal (18.5–24.9 kg/m2) | 24 (27) | 39 (21) | 16 (20) |
| Overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2) | 26 (30) | 56 (31) | 21 (26) |
| Obese 1 (30.0–34.9 kg/m2) | 22 (25) | 53 (29) | 23 (28) |
| Obese 2 (35.0–39.9 kg/m2) | 12 (14) | 22 (12) | 10 (12) |
| Obese 3 (≥ 40.0 kg/m2) | 2 (2) | 6 (3) | 7 (9) |
| Karnofsky Performance Scale, n (%) | |||
| Fully active | 20 (23) | 55 (27) | 14 (17) |
| Ambulatory, light work | 50 (57) | 110 (54) | 39 (48) |
| Ambulatory, self-care | 9 (10) | 23 (11) | 16 (20) |
| Limited self-care, 50% of time in bed | 1 (1) | 3 (1) | 3 (4) |
| Disabled | 1 (1) | 2 (1) | 1 (1) |
| Unknown | 7 (8) | 12 (6) | 8 (10) |
| Activated to waitlist | 47 (53) | 107 (52) | 39 (48) |
FP, Frailty Phenotype; FI, frailty index; CFS, Clinical Frailty Scale; DM, diabetes mellitus; HTN, hypertension; IQR, interquartile range; HD, hemodialysis; PD, peritoneal dialysis; CAD, coronary artery disease; CHF, congestive heart failure; CVD, cerebrovascular disease; PVD, peripheral vascular disease; BMI, body mass index.