Frailty assessment in vascular hot clinic setting

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Frailty Assessment in Vascular OUtpatients Review (FAVOUR Trial) – comparing feasibility and prognostic value of commonly used assessments.

  • IRAS ID

    322086

  • Contact name

    Terry Quinn

  • Contact email

    terry.quinn@glasgow.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    3 years, 8 months, 25 days

  • Research summary

    Frailty describes a physical characteristic where affected persons becomes more vulnerable to poor outcomes. Specifically, it has demonstrated associations with greater risk of post-operative complications, longer hospital admissions and higher mortality rates. As the population is ageing, and becoming more medically complex, there is a reciprocal rise in frailty. Being able to 1) identify frailty and 2) use the knowledge of its presence/absence to guide medical management plans holds potential to significantly improve patient care. It could also improve the patient journey as its diagnosis will facilitate joint-decision making between surgeon and patient. However, implementing routine frailty assessment into a busy vascular clinic may be challenging. Furthermore, it is unclear which frailty assessment tool is superior in its prognostic value and how they are best applied.

    This research project has three aims:
    1) To assess the feasibility of implementing routine frailty assessments in a vascular surgery clinic setting.
    2) To determine the prognostic value of different types of frailty assessments.
    3) To assess whether a clinician's assessment of a patient’s frailty status correlates with a patient’s self-assessment. And, in the instance of discrepancies, determine which party assesses frailty more accurately.

    For this prospective feasibility study, adults (aged >= 18 years) attending a ‘Vascular Hot Clinic’ at a large tertiary referral hospital (Queen Elizabeth University Hospital) will be eligible for inclusion. Following written consent, patients (and proxy if present and consenting) as well as surgeon and principle investigator (Miss Silje Welsh) will complete a number of frailty assessments at the end of the clinic appointment. Participants will then be electronically followed up at 30 days and 1 year after clinic attendance, as well as at 30-days and 1-year post intervention (surgical/endovascular), if offered. Outcome measures include markers of feasibility as well as morbidity, mortality and functional status.

  • REC name

    London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    23/PR/0062

  • Date of REC Opinion

    23 Feb 2023

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion