This thesis is focused on frailty in old age. The frailty syndrome is the newest geriatric syndrome and can be aptly called the ultimate geriatric syndrome due to the complexity of its causes and the wide range of adverse outcomes it may lead to in older persons. Several of the important correlates of frailty, namely falls, underweight and sarcopenia, are discussed in the context of their relationship with frailty. These entities are geriatric syndromes in their own rights, sharing many common risk factors and arriving at adverse health outcomes either directly or via the pathway of frailty. In the publications that arose from this work, the risk factors of falls, in particular the relationship between medications and chronic diseases in causing falls; risk factors and outcomes of sarcopenia, in particular its relation to diabetes mellitus and other chronic diseases; and how underweight poses survival risks in both community-living and institutionalized older people, are discussed. The final publication of this series of studies demonstrated the reversibility of the frailty syndrome, showing that not all who were in the pre-frailty stage will decline. Risk factors associated with improvement or decline in the pre-frail stage were identified in the local population, and a period of relative stability opened for possible interventions was observed. This thesis thus examines the complex interplay of these syndromes in old age. It is hoped that these publications will enable further research into the underlying mechanisms of frailty and to elucidate modifiable risk factors, hence enabling older people, in particular those in the pre-frail stage, to live healthier and longer lives. / Lee Shun Wah Jenny. / Thesis (M.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 15, September, 2016).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_1290654 |
| Date | January 2015 |
| Contributors | Lee, Shun Wah Jenny (author.), Woo, Jean (thesis advisor.), Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. |
| Source Sets | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, bibliography, text |
| Format | electronic resource, electronic resource, remote, 1 online resource (210 leaves, 60 unnumbered leaves) : illustrations (some color), computer, online resource |
| Rights | Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International" License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) |
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