The prognostic value of frailty in hospitalized older adults with chronic heart failure: A short-term follow-up study in Vietnam

Problem considered: To evaluate the impact of frailty on adverse outcomes, including hospital readmissions and mortality among older patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) in Vietnam. Methods:This prospective, observational study was conducted in the cardiology departments of two general hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City between July 2023 and March 2024.Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS).Baseline evaluations included frailty status, demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and laboratory results.Patients were followed for three months post-discharge to monitor hospital readmissions, mortality, and composite outcomes (readmission and/or death).Results: A total of 214 older Vietnamese patients with CHF participated in the study.Frailty was very common, affecting 74.3% of the group.Within three months after hospital discharge, the rates of readmission, death, and combined adverse events were 44.9%, 2.3%, and 46.3%, respectively.After adjusting for potential confounders, frailty was independently associated with a significantly increased risk of both hospital readmission (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.13-5.25;p = .026)and composite events (aHR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.22-5.82;p = .014).Subgroup analysis revealed that no statistically significant association was observed between frailty and adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Conclusion:Pre-discharge frailty was independently associated with short-term adverse outcomes in older adults hospitalized with chronic heart failure.Given the three-month follow-up period, these findings underscore the potential value of routine frailty assessment in identifying individuals at high risk.