About this Research Topic
Stroke is the second-leading cause of death and the third-leading cause of burden of disease worldwide. In Western countries (or in high-income countries), the aging of the population is the main driver for the increase in stroke incidence and prevalence. Older age is at the same time an important risk factor for stroke and the most relevant predictor of worse outcomes and increased disability. As the general population becomes increasingly aging, it is plausible that stroke incidence will remain constant in the coming decades despite the control of risk factors and improved therapies. There is a need of a precise stratification of older people, taking into account prognostic factors that should include functional, physical and psycho-social factors usually assessed by a geriatric multidimensional assessment.
Frailty is a common but not exclusive geriatric condition characterized by decreased resilience to stressors and an association with increased risk of mortality and disability. Previous studies have found that frailty may affect survival, quality of life, and recovery after stroke, regardless of age and cumulative number of vascular risk factors. The evaluation of frailty and the identification of frail patients have major clinical relevance for the management of patients admitted for acute stroke. Accurate risk stratification of medical complications may identify patients at high risk and therefore more likely to obtain benefit from specific preventive or active treatment measures.
This Research Topic aims to collect studies investigating the role of frailty assessment in stratification of patients potentially requiring different degree of intensity of care in acute stroke in different clinical setting, encompassing both original research papers, alongside narrative and systematic reviews, opinion pieces and meta-analyses. We will explore relevant data about the recent advancement in frailty studies and identify if frailty is a significant predictor of mortality (both short and long term), functional outcome, stroke recurrence and other outcomes, such as institutionalization, rehospitalisation, secondary medical complications and higher use of home care services.
Frailty is a common but not exclusive geriatric condition characterized by decreased resilience to stressors and an association with increased risk of mortality and disability. Previous studies have found that frailty may affect survival, quality of life, and recovery after stroke, regardless of age and cumulative number of vascular risk factors. The evaluation of frailty and the identification of frail patients have major clinical relevance for the management of patients admitted for acute stroke. Accurate risk stratification of medical complications may identify patients at high risk and therefore more likely to obtain benefit from specific preventive or active treatment measures.
This Research Topic aims to collect studies investigating the role of frailty assessment in stratification of patients potentially requiring different degree of intensity of care in acute stroke in different clinical setting, encompassing both original research papers, alongside narrative and systematic reviews, opinion pieces and meta-analyses. We will explore relevant data about the recent advancement in frailty studies and identify if frailty is a significant predictor of mortality (both short and long term), functional outcome, stroke recurrence and other outcomes, such as institutionalization, rehospitalisation, secondary medical complications and higher use of home care services.
Keywords: stroke, frailty, aging, predictors, outcomes
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