Frailty in the Elderly is Associated with an Increased Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The aim was to systematically review the association between depression and frailty in the elderly.

Methods: Databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus were searched for articles on the link between the risk of depression and frailty since the creation of the databases to September 1, 2023. A pair of investigators collaboratively conducted the screening, collected data, and evaluated the potential for bias in the included studies. R software was utilized for meta-synthesis.

Results: Eight cohort studies comprising 13043 participants and 14854 senior individuals with depression were included. The meta-analysis showed that there was a significant connection regarding frailty and the incidence of depression among the elderly (Risk Ratio [RR]=3.26, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.68-6.32). Subgroup evaluations showed that there was no association between frailty and depression in the community-dwelling elderly (RR=2.28, 95% CI: 0.644-8.102) and in the elderly patients with depression assessed by Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (RR=5.82, 95% CI: 0.481-70.526).

Conclusion: Frailty is correlated with the risk of depression in the elderly. Frailty is a contributing factor to depression in the elderly.

Cite this article as: Zhou J, Chen H, Lin C. Frailty in the elderly is associated with an increased risk of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Alpha Psychiatry. 2024;25(2):175-182