Enhancing prognostic models for stroke outcomes in older patients: Insights from prestroke frailty and disability assessments

Abstract

This letter addresses the manuscript titled “Comparison of Prestroke Frailty and Disability for Outcome Prediction in Older Stroke Patients” by Paola Forti et al. The study explores the predictive role of prestroke frailty in stroke outcomes for older patients, demonstrating its potential to guide clinical decision-making. While the large cohort enhances the study's validity, several methodological concerns are raised, including the retrospective use of frailty assessments and the lack of subgroup analyses by stroke type or severity. Suggestions for future research include validating frailty scales prospectively, integrating them with other clinical measures, and exploring their impact on rehabilitation outcomes. Despite these limitations, the study significantly contributes to the understanding of frailty as a predictor in stroke care.