Prevalence of Frailty in European Emergency Departments (FEED): an international flash mob study.

Introduction

Current emergency care systems are not optimized to respond to multiple and complex problems associated with frailty. Services may require reconfiguration to effectively deliver comprehensive frailty care, yet its prevalence and variation are poorly understood. This study primarily determined the prevalence of frailty among older people attending emergency care.

Methods

This cross-sectional study used a flash mob approach to collect observational European emergency care data over a 24-h period (04 July 2023). Sites were identified through the European Task Force for Geriatric Emergency Medicine collaboration and social media. Data were collected for all individuals aged 65 + who attended emergency care, and for all adults aged 18 + at a subset of sites. Variables included demographics, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), vital signs, and disposition. European and national frailty prevalence was determined with proportions with each CFS level and with dichotomized CFS 5 + (mild or more severe frailty).

Results

Sixty-two sites in fourteen European countries recruited five thousand seven hundred eighty-five individuals. 40% of 3479 older people had at least mild frailty, with countries ranging from 26 to 51%. They had median age 77 (IQR, 13) years and 53% were female. Across 22 sites observing all adult attenders, older people living with frailty comprised 14%.

Conclusion

40% of older people using European emergency care had CFS 5 + . Frailty prevalence varied widely among European care systems. These differences likely reflected entrance selection and provide windows of opportunity for system configuration and workforce planning.

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Overview publication

Title	Prevalence of Frailty in European Emergency Departments (FEED): an international flash mob study.
Date	April 1st, 2024
Issue name	European geriatric medicine
Issue number	v15.2:463-470
DOI	10.1007/s41999-023-00926-3
PubMed	38340282
Info	European Taskforce on Geriatric Emergency Medicine (ETGEM) collaborators, Coats T, Conroy S, de Groot B, Heeren P, Lim S, Lucke J, Mooijaart S, Nickel CH, Penfold R, Singler K, van Oppen JD, Polyzogopoulou E, Kruis A, McNamara R, de Groot B, Castejon-Hernandez S, Miro O, Karamercan MA, Dündar ZD, van Oppen JD, Pavletić M, Libicherová P, Balen F, Benhamed A, Dubucs X, Hernu R, Laribi S, Singler K, Fraidakis O, Fyntanidou VP, Polyzogopoulou E, Gaal S, Jónsdóttir AB, Kelly-Friel ME, McAteer CA, Sibthorpe LD, Synnott A, Zazzara MB, Coffeng SM, de Groot B, Lucke JA, Smits RAL, Castejon-Hernandez S, Llauger L, Mir SA, Ortiz MS, Padilla EE, Rodeles SC, Rojewski-Rojas W, Fadini D, Jegerlehner NS, Nickel CH, Rezzonico S, Zucconi EC, Cakmak S, Demir HA, Dündar ZD, Güven R, Karamercan MA, Sogut O, Tayfur I, Adams JA, Bernardo J, Brown L, Burton J, Butler MJ, Claassen RI, Compton F, Cooper JG, Heyes R, Ko S, Lightbody CJ, Masoli JAH, McKenzie STG, Mawhinney D, Moultrie NJ, Price A, Raman R, Rothwell LH, Shashikala RP, Smith EJ, Sorice V, van Oppen JD, Wallace JM, Young T, Benvin A, Breški E, Ćefo A, Dumić D, Ferenac R, Jurica I, Otočan M, Zinaić PŠ, Clement B, Jacquin L, Royer B, Apfelbacher SI, Bezati S, Gkarmiri S, Kaltsidou CV, Klonos G, Korka Z, Koufogianni A, Mavros V, Nano A, Ntousopoulos A, Papadopoulos N, Sason R, Zagalioti SC, Hjaltadottir I, Sigurþórsdóttir I, Skuladottir SS, Thorsteinsdottir T, Breslin D, Byrne CP, Dolan A, Harte O, Kazi D, McCarthy A, McMillan SS, Moiloa DN, O'Shaughnessy ÍL, Ramiah V, Williams S, Giani T, Levati E, Montenero R, Russo A, Salini S, van den Berg B, Booijen AM, Sir O, Vermeulen AE, Ter Voert MA, Alvarez-Galarraga AC, Azeli Y, Gómez RG, González González R, Lizardo D, Pérez ML, Madan CN, Medina JÁ, Moreno JS, Patiño EVB, Posada DM, Rodrigo IC, Vitucci CF, Ballinari M, Dreher T, Gianinazzi L, Espejo T, Hautz WE, Rezzonico S, Bayramoğlu B, Cakmak S, Comruk B, Dogan T, Köse F, Allen TP, Ardley R, Beith CM, Boath KA, Britton HL, Campbell MMF, Capel J, Catney C, Clements S, Collins BP, Compton F, Cook A, Cosgriff EJ, Coventry T, Doyle N, Evans Z, Fasina TA, Ferrick JF, Fleming GM, Gallagher C, Golden M, Gorania D, Glass L, Greenlees H, Haddock ZP, Harris R, Hollas C, Hunter A, Ingham C, Ip SSY, James JA, Kenenden C, Jenkinson GE, Lee E, Lovick SA, McFadden M, McGovern R, Medhora J, Merchant F, Mishra S, Moreland GB, Narayanasamy S, Neal AR, Nicholls EL, Omar MT, Osborne N, Oteme FO, Pearson J, Price R, Sajan M, Sandhu LK, Scott-Murfitt H, Sealey B, Sharp EP, Spowage-Delaney BAC, Stephen F, Stevenson L, Tyrrell I, Ukoh CK, Walsh R, Watson AM, Whiteford JEC, Allston-Reeve C, Barson TJ, Giorgi MG, Godhania YL, Inchley V, Mirkes E, Rahman S
Keywords	Emergency care, Frailty, Geriatrics
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