Frailty and Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults Admitted Under Endocrinology: A Retrospective Observational Audit

Abstract Background Frailty is a well-established predictor of adverse outcomes in general medical inpatients. However, its impact within specialist services such as endocrinology remains underexplored. Understanding this relationship may help guide resource allocation and discharge planning in older adults admitted with endocrine-related conditions. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational audit of inpatients aged ≥65 years admitted under the endocrinology service at a tertiary hospital. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), based on clinical documentation at the time of admission. Patients were stratified into non-frail (CFS ≤4) and frail (CFS ≥5) groups, consistent with established literature [Rockwood et al., 2005]. Primary outcomes included length of hospital stay (LOS), discharge destination, and change in care needs on discharge. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests. Results Thirty patients were included (mean age 78.4 years; 73% female). Frail patients (n=23) had a significantly longer mean LOS than non-frail patients (49.5 vs 19.0 days, p = 0.035) and were significantly more likely to require a change in care needs on discharge (56.5% vs 14.3%, p = 0.008). Discharge to long-term care occurred in 21.7% of frail patients versus 14.3% of non-frail patients (p = 0.19), though this was not statistically significant. Conclusion Frailty, as assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale, is associated with longer hospital stays and increased care needs on discharge in older adults admitted under endocrinology. These findings support routine frailty screening and proactive discharge planning in this patient population.