Postural instability and the condition of physical frailty in the elderly.


Author: Moraes DC1,2, Lenardt MH2, Seima MD2,3, Mello BH2,4, Setoguchi LS2,5, Setlik CM2,6

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Hospital Nossa Senhora do Pilar, Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.

<sup>2</sup>Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Enfermagem, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.

<sup>3</sup>Prefeitura de São José dos Pinhais, Departamento de Atenção à Saúde, São José dos Pinhais, PR, Brasil.

<sup>4</sup>Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.

<sup>5</sup>Bolsista da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brasil.

<sup>6</sup>Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Unidade de Internação, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Conference/Journal: Rev Lat Am Enfermagem.
Date published: 2019 Apr 29
Other:
 Volume ID: 27   ,  Pages: e3146   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1590/1518-8345.2655-3146. [Article in English, Portuguese, Spanish;  Abstract available in Portuguese and Spanish from the publisher]   ,  Word Count: 161  
    OBJECTIVE: to analyze the relationship between postural instability and the condition and markers of physical frailty of the elderly people in outpatient geriatric and gerontology care.



METHOD: a cross-sectional study with a sample of 381 elderly subjects. Physical frailty was evaluated by the frailty phenotype and postural instability through the Berg Balance Scale. Univariate analyses consisted in Chi-square tests, and multivariate analyses used the Forward Stepwise method, which resulted in a model of physical frailty associated with postural instability.



RESULTS: among the participants, 56 (14.7%) were frail, 217 (57%) pre-frail, and 68 (28.3%) non-frail. Pre-frailty (p < 0.001), frailty (p = 0.000), and the markers hand grip strength (p = 0.0008), unintentional weight loss (p = 0.0094), level of physical activity (p = 0.0001), fatigue/exhaustion (p = 0.0001), and gait speed (p = 0.0001) were associated with postural instability.



CONCLUSION: the presence of postural instability determines a greater chance of the elderly being frail or pre-frail. This result favors the planning of gerontological nursing care and strengthens the treatment plan under a specific approach.



PMID: 31038639 PMCID: PMC6528635 DOI: 10.1590/1518-8345.2655-3146