Effectiveness of Interventions to Prevent Frailty in Older Adults
Nida Aydin, Dilay Necipoğlu, Ezgi BağriaçikObjective:
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions for preventing or managing frailty in adults aged 65 and over, based on evidence from randomized controlled trials.
Methods:
A systematic search was conducted using the modified keywords “frailty,” “older,” and “intervention” across multiple databases, without publication year restrictions, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A total of 16 studies were included. The statistical analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 4 software. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q test and the I 2 statistic. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and Egger’s regression test.
Results:
The meta-analysis yielded an overall effect size of −0.799 (Z = −2.524, SE = 0.32, 95% confidence interval [−1.420, 0.179]). Heterogeneity was high (Q = 561.205,
Conclusions:
The effectiveness of exercise interventions to improve physical endurance depends on factors such as duration and frequency. Due to the multifactorial nature of frailty, additional approaches—including nutritional support, integrated care, and metformin treatment—also yielded beneficial outcomes.