Correlation between depressive symptoms and frailty in elderly inpatients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the correlation between depressive symptoms and frailty,in order to provide evidence for prevention and relief of depressive symptoms in elderly inpatients.Methods A cross-sectional survey and comprehensive geriatric assessment(CGA)were conducted with 248 eligible elderly inpatients from December 2015 to February 2017 in our hospital.Depressive symptoms were assessed by the 5-Item Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS-5),and frailty was identified by the frailty phenotype method.Results In all respondents,50 (20.2 ％)patients showed depressive symptoms,93(37.5 ％)patients had pre-frailty and 39 (15.7 ％)patients had frailty.Correlation analysis showed that frailty degree,low grip strength,slow gait speed,low physical activity,fatigue,and weakness were all positively correlated with depressive symptoms in elderly inpatients (r =0.441,0.315,0.426,0.316,0.395 and 0.151,respectively,P ＜ 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that patients who had more severe frailty faced a much higher risk of developing depressive symptoms (OR=2.608,P＜0.05).Of the 5 indicators of frailty,slow gait speed and frailty also increased the risk of having depressive symptoms (OR =2.801 and 3.484,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Frailty degree,gait speed and fatigue are associated with increased risk of depression in the elderly.Depressive symptoms can be reduced in elderly inpatients with prevention and intervention of pre-frailty and frailty.