The scope of frailty assessment tools in the middle east: unraveling gaps and trends

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus Pub Date : 2025-05-17 DOI:10.1016/j.aggp.2025.100168

Sulaiman Alshakhs M.D., Sara Mohamed, Ibtihal Kamal, Sa'ad Laws, Mai A. Mahmoud MBBS, MEHP

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Abstract

Background

Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults. As Middle Eastern populations age, validated frailty assessment tools (FATs) are essential to inform care planning. However, regional uptake and validation remain unclear.

Objective

This scoping review aimed to map the use and validation of FATs among adults aged 55 and above in the Middle East, identify research gaps, and explore cross-country trends.

Methods

Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted in May 2022 and updated in December 2024 across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. Search terms targeted “frailty,” “geriatric,” and 17 Middle Eastern countries. Inclusion criteria comprised primary studies using or discussing FATs among adults aged 55+, conducted in or including a Middle Eastern country. Non-English/Arabic texts, non-primary literature, and studies lacking frailty definitions or tools were excluded. In total, 103 studies were included.

Results

The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) were the most commonly used tools, appearing in 36 and 32 studies respectively. However, only 12 studies reported tool validation, and just 7 conducted cultural adaptation. Research output was highest in Turkey (28 studies), Iran (17), and Saudi Arabia (14), while 6 countries had no studies. Most studies used FATs in hospital settings.

Conclusion

Frailty research is growing in the Middle East but remains fragmented and under-validated. Standardized tools adapted to local contexts are urgently needed. Strengthening clinical care and policy will require greater regional collaboration and investment in culturally relevant research

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中东脆弱性评估工具的范围：揭示差距和趋势

背景：虚弱是一种多维综合征，与老年人不良健康结局风险增加相关。随着中东人口的老龄化，经过验证的衰弱评估工具（fat）对于为护理规划提供信息至关重要。然而，区域吸收和验证仍不清楚。目的：本综述旨在绘制中东地区55岁及以上成年人中脂肪的使用和验证图，确定研究空白，并探索跨国趋势。方法遵循PRISMA-ScR指南，于2022年5月对PubMed、Embase、Web of Science和Scopus进行了全面的文献检索，并于2024年12月进行了更新。搜索词的目标是“虚弱”、“老年”和17个中东国家。纳入标准包括在中东国家或包括中东国家进行的55岁以上成年人中使用或讨论脂肪的初步研究。非英语/阿拉伯语文本、非主要文献和缺乏脆弱性定义或工具的研究被排除在外。总共纳入103项研究。结果临床虚弱量表（CFS）和油炸虚弱表型（FFP）是最常用的评估工具，分别出现在36项和32项研究中。然而，只有12项研究报告了工具验证，只有7项研究进行了文化适应。研究产出最高的是土耳其（28篇）、伊朗（17篇）和沙特阿拉伯（14篇），6个国家没有研究。大多数研究在医院环境中使用脂肪。结论衰弱研究在中东地区正在增长，但仍然是碎片化和缺乏验证的。迫切需要适应当地情况的标准化工具。加强临床护理和政策将需要在文化相关研究方面加强区域合作和投资

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus

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