Comparison of Preoperative Frailty Assessment Tools

Evaluation of a Feasible Frailty Assessment Tool for Preoperative Risk Evaluation of Older Patients

Frailty is a significant risk factor for postoperative complications and functional decline. Preoperative assessment of frailty is therefore recommended in all older adults. However, despite the availability of many frailty tools, few have been tested in the preoperative setting and there is little comparison of their predictive value in identifying patients at risk. The aim of this study is to investigate which of the following instruments for determining frailty has the highest predictive power with regard to the occurrence of postoperative complications: Risk Analysis Index, Clinical Frailty Scale, the Groningen Frailty Indicator, the Edmonton Frail Scale and the LUCAS-FI. The aim of this research project is to identify a suitable frailty instrument for preoperative risk stratification of older patients during the premedication visit.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 70 years and older
• scheduled surgery
• estimated time of surgery 120 Minutes or more

Exclusion Criteria:

• insufficient German language skills (for cognitive testing)
• mental retardation
• relevant psychiatric disorder (not allowing for cognitive testing)