FRAIL scale: Predictive validity and diagnostic test accuracy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the predictive validity of the FRAIL scale for mortality, and diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) against the frailty phenotype (FP). MEASUREMENT: Frailty was measured in 846 community-dwelling adults (mean age 74.3 [SD 6.3] years, 54.8% female) using a modified FRAIL scale and modified FP. Mortality was matched to death records. RESULTS: The FRAIL scale demonstrated significant predictive validity for mortality up to 10 years (Frail adjHR: 2.60, P < .001). DTA findings were acceptable for specificity (86.8%) and Youden index (0.50), but not sensitivity (63.6%), or area under the receiver operator curve (auROC) (0.75). DTA estimates were more acceptable when a cut-point of ≥2 characteristics was used rather than ≥3 in the primary DTA analysis. CONCLUSION: The FRAIL scale is a valid predictor of mortality. DTA estimates depend on FRAIL scale cut-point used. This instrument is a potentially useful frailty screening tool.