Resistance Is the Strongest Correlate of Frailty in Geriatric Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Analysis

Background The FRAIL questionnaire is a validated screening tool for frailty in geriatric trauma patients that has been associated with functional outcomes and mortality. It includes five components: Fatigue, Resistance, Aerobic, Illness, and Weight Loss. This study aims to determine whether a single component is a better predictor than others of in predicting frailty. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on 613 geriatric trauma patients admitted between June and November 2023. Patient demographics, injury severity scores (ISS), and FRAIL questionnaire responses were obtained from electronic health records. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to assess the relationship between each FRAIL component and total FRAIL score. A bootstrap 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using 10,000 replicates to evaluate statistical significance. Results All FRAIL components showed significant positive correlations with FRAIL score. Resistance (ability to climb a flight of stairs) had the strongest correlation (ρ = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.65–0.73), followed by Fatigue (ρ = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.61–0.69), Aerobic (ρ = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.50–0.60), Illness (ρ = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.35–0.45), and Weight Loss (ρ = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.24–0.34). Conclusions Resistance, specifically the ability to climb a flight of stairs, is the strongest correlate of frailty in geriatric trauma patients. Its strong correlation with frailty-related outcomes suggests its potential as a simple, rapid, and reliable bedside screening tool to improve risk