• Tobias Kaeppeli, Marco Rueegg, Thomas Dreher-Hummel, Mikkel Brabrand, Søren Kabell-Nissen, Christopher R Carpenter, Roland Bingisser, and Christian H Nickel.
• Emergency Department, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
• Ann Emerg Med. 2020 Sep 1; 76 (3): 291-300.

Study ObjectiveWe validate the Clinical Frailty Scale by examining its independent predictive validity for 30-day mortality, ICU admission, and hospitalization and by determining its reliability. We also determine frailty prevalence in our emergency department (ED) as measured with the Clinical Frailty Scale.MethodsThis was a prospective observational study including consecutive ED patients aged 65 years or older, from a single tertiary care center during a 9-week period. To examine predictive validity, association with mortality was investigated through a Cox proportional hazards regression; hospitalization and ICU transfer were investigated through multivariable logistic regression. We assessed reliability by calculating Cohen's weighted κ for agreement of experts who independently assigned Clinical Frailty Scale levels, compared with trained study assistants. Frailty was defined as a Clinical Frailty Scale score of 5 and higher.ResultsA total of 2,393 patients were analyzed in this study, of whom 128 died. Higher frailty levels were associated with higher hazards for death independent of age, sex, and condition (medical versus surgical). The area under the curve for 30-day mortality prediction was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77 to 0.85), for hospitalization 0.72 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.74), and for ICU admission 0.69 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Interrater reliability between the reference standard and the study team was good (weighted Cohen's κ was 0.74; 95% CI 0.64 to 0.85). Frailty prevalence was 36.8% (n=880).ConclusionThe Clinical Frailty Scale appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to identify frailty in the ED. It might provide ED clinicians with useful information for decisionmaking in regard to triage, disposition, and treatment.Copyright © 2020 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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