Frailty in Parkinson disease: clinical implications in an older cohort

Frailty is a common disorder in older people that results in increased vulnerability to stressors, similar to Parkinson disease (PD). This study (n=314,998; mean age: 56.1 years; 12-year follow-up period) examined the relationship between physical frailty and incident PD.
In comparison to nonfrailty, prefrailty (26%) and frailty (87%) were associated with an increased risk of PD. In addition frailty phenotypes, including exhaustion, slow gait speed, low grip strength and low physical activity were also associated with incident PD.
According to the authors, prefrailty and frailty play a role in incident PD irrespective of potential variables such as sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, multiple morbidities, and genetic background.