Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35787523›Full record

ArticleBMJ open respiratory research2022

Frailty in COPD: an analysis of prevalence and clinical impact using UK Biobank.

Peter Hanlon, James Lewsey, Jennifer K Quint, Bhautesh D Jani, Barbara I Nicholl, David A McAllister, Frances S Mair

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open respiratory research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
6.6field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 52 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Frailty in COPD: Clinical Impact, Diagnosis, Biomarkers, and Management Strategies.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2025
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  11. Frailty and COPD: a bidirectional relationship in the context of systemic and accelerated ageing.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026
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  14. Continuity of Care and Risks of Hospitalization and Mortality in COPD: A Nationwide Cohort Study.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Peter HanlonInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK Peter.Hanlon@glasgow.ac.uk.
James LewseyInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Jennifer K QuintNational Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Bhautesh D JaniInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Barbara I NichollInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
David A McAllisterInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Frances S MairInstitute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
University of Glasgow · GBLung Institute · US

Funding

Medical Research Council MC_PC_17228Medical Research Council MC_QA137853Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFrailty, a state of reduced physiological reserve, is common in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Frailty can occur at any age; however, the implications in younger people (eg, aged <65 years) with COPD are unclear. We assessed the prevalence of frailty in UK Biobank participants with COPD; explored relationships between frailty and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and quantified the association between frailty and adverse outcomes.

methodsUK Biobank participants (n=3132, recruited 2006-2010) with COPD aged 40-70 years were analysed comparing two frailty measures (frailty phenotype and frailty index) at baseline. Relationship with FEV1 was assessed for each measure. Outcomes were mortality, major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), all-cause hospitalisation, hospitalisation with COPD exacerbation and community COPD exacerbation over 8 years of follow-up.

resultsFrailty was common by both definitions (17% frail using frailty phenotype, 28% moderate and 4% severely frail using frailty index). The frailty phenotype, but not the frailty index, was associated with lower FEV1. Frailty phenotype (frail vs robust) was associated with mortality (HR 2.33; 95% CI 1.84 to 2.96), MACE (2.73; 1.66 to 4.49), hospitalisation (incidence rate ratio 3.39; 2.77 to 4.14) hospitalised exacerbation (5.19; 3.80 to 7.09) and community exacerbation (2.15; 1.81 to 2.54), as was frailty index (severe vs robust) (mortality (2.65; 95% CI 1.75 to 4.02), MACE (6.76; 2.68 to 17.04), hospitalisation (3.69; 2.52 to 5.42), hospitalised exacerbation (4.26; 2.37 to 7.68) and community exacerbation (2.39; 1.74 to 3.28)). These relationships were similar before and after adjustment for FEV1.

conclusionFrailty, regardless of age or measure, identifies people with COPD at risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Frailty assessment may aid risk stratification and guide-targeted intervention in COPD and should not be limited to people aged >65 years.

Indexed as

FrailtyPulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveBiological Specimen BanksHumansPrevalenceUnited KingdomClinical EpidemiologyCOPD epidemiologyCOPD Exacerbations

Identifiers

PMID35787523
PMCPMC9255399
OpenAlexW4283801823

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.