2Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Aydin, Turkey DOI : 10.31086/tjgeri.2020.182 Introduction: The aim was to identify the factors affecting the frailty syndrome in elderly chronic obstructive lung disease patients and to investigate its relationship with systemic inflammation.
Materials and Method: <61 stable patients (ages of 65-84) were included. Demographic data, body mass index, comorbidities, annual number of exacerbations were recorded. Pulmonary function test, six-minute walk test and Tilburg Frailty Test were performed in all cases. Patients were classified into groups A,B,C&D according to GOLD chronic obstructive lung disease guideline by annual exacerbation rate and dyspnea score. Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, high sensitive C-reactive protein, IL-6, 8OH-dG, IL-18 levels were studied in serum.
Results: According to Tilburg test, 63.9% of the patients were evaluated as frail. There was a relationship between body mass index and Tilburg frailty score (p:0.035); body mass index was lower in the frail group. The number of comorbidities was higher in the frail group (p:0.007). There was a positive correlation between frailty and the number of drugs used. The frailty score was significantly higher in GOLD group B&C than in groups A&D (p: 0.006). The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in the frail group (p:0.007).
Conclusion: Frailty is more frequent in chronic obstructive lung disease patients, especially in those with malnutrition and comorbidities and it is associated with a systemic inflammation marker, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio. Routine assessment of frailty in chronic obstructive lung disease outpatients may allow early interventions, including referral to physical and respiratory rehabilitation, geriatric and nutritional specialists to improve physical performance and quality of life of these patients.
Keywords : Frailty; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Inflammation