The Effects of Frailty on Chronic Kidney Disease
The Effects of Frailty on Chronic Kidney Disease
Frailty is a syndrome characterized by decreased reserve and diminished resistance to stressors. The proposed research will evaluate the association of frailty with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The prevalence of frailty increases with age and with CKD, but studies are needed to determine whether frailty is associated with worsening of CKD and whether intervention to treat frailty can improve physical functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as well as slow progression of CKD.
The intervention is a 6-month prospective interventional pilot study targeted to each domain of frailty. Subjects will be screened into the study by testing each domain; only those who meet criteria for frailty will be included in the study. The clinical intervention, which all subjects will receive, will begin immediately upon enrollment and completion of baseline measurements. Upon enrollment the 3 most recent previous outpatient serum creatinine measurements (up to 1 year) will be used to determine baseline slope of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The main objectives of the pilot study will be to gain knowledge in the successful implementation and completion of an intervention targeted toward frailty. Ultimately information ascertained from this pilot will serve as a springboard for planning of a randomized trial aimed at addressing all the domains of frailty, which is key given that previous studies have only implemented interventions aimed at a single domain or in pairs, but no studies have evaluated the extent to which frailty can be reversed through a cohesive intervention addressing all domains together. The intervention outlined in this proposal is comprehensive and focused while maintaining feasibility.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria: