Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37624049›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Geriatrics Society2023

Construct validity of the electronic Veterans Affairs Frailty Index against clinician frailty assessment.

Clark DuMontier, Robert Hennis, Cenk Yilidirim, Benjamin J Seligman, Carolina Fonseca Valencia, Brooke L Lubinski, Stephanie M Sison, Mayuri Dharne, Dae Hyun Kim, Andrea Wershof Schwartz and 3 more

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed
2.9field-weighted citation impact, top 9% 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

16 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. FI-CGA and eFI-CGA in Frailty Care: a Scoping Review.Canadian geriatrics journal : CGJ · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Evaluating Frailty Index Integrity: Insights from an International Network Study.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026
    Article
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  8. Article
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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

13 authors at 8 institutions in 1 country.

Clark DuMontierGeriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Robert HennisTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas, USA.
Cenk YilidirimVA Providence Healthcare, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Benjamin J SeligmanGeriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Carolina Fonseca ValenciaHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4073-2527
Brooke L LubinskiHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Stephanie M SisonUMass Memorial Med Center, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-3894-7219
Mayuri DharneMassachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC), Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Dae Hyun KimHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7290-6838
Andrea Wershof SchwartzGeriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2076-6068
Jane A DriverGeriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Nathanael R FillmoreHarvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ariela R OrkabyGeriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Brigham and Women's Hospital · USBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · USUMass Memorial Health Care · USBoston VA Research Institute · USGeriatric Research Education and Clinical Center · USHarvard University · USProvidence VA Medical Center · USTexas Tech University · US

Funding

Preparing For What Is Next With Aducanumab In Real World SettingsR33AG057806 · NIA · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · PI Christopher Barrett Bowling, Ana Roman Quinones · 2018 to 2026
$9.0M
Greater Boston Medical Student Training in Aging ResearchT35AG038027 · NIA · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · PI DRIVER, JANE A, MCLAUGHLIN-GAVIN, CARA · 2010 to 2024
$991k
Mid-Career Mentoring Award For Patient-Oriented Research in Frailty and Health OutcomesK24AG073527 · NIA · HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED · PI Dae Hyun Kim · 2022 to 2026
$862k
Statins for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and FrailtyIK2CX001800 · VA · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · PI ORKABY, ARIELA R · 2019 to 2023
–
Integration of Geriatric Measures Alongside Disease-Based Measures to Advance Precision Oncology for Older Veterans with Multiple MyelomaIK2CX002218 · VA · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · PI DUMONTIER, CLARK WILLIAM · 2021 to 2024
–
CSRD VA IK2 CX001800CSRD VA IK2 CX002218NIA NIH HHS K24 AG073527NIA NIH HHS K24AG073527NIA NIH HHS R33 AG057806NIA NIH HHS R33AG057806NIA NIH HHS T35 AG038027NIA NIH HHS T35AG038027
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundElectronic frailty indices (eFIs) can expand measurement of frailty in research and practice and have demonstrated predictive validity in associations with clinical outcomes. However, their construct validity is less well studied. We aimed to assess the construct validity of the VA-FI, an eFI developed for use in the U.S. Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

methodsVeterans who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessments between January 31, 2019 and June 6, 2022 at VA Boston and had sufficient data documented for a comprehensive geriatric assessment-frailty index (CGA-FI) were included. The VA-FI, based on diagnostic and procedural codes, and the CGA-FI, based on geriatrician-measured deficits, were calculated for each patient. Geriatricians also assessed the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), functional status (ADLs and IADLs), and 4-meter gait speed (4MGS).

resultsA total of 132 veterans were included, with median age 81.4 years (IQR 75.8-88.7). Across increasing levels of VA-FI (<0.2; 0.2-0.4; >0.4), mean CGA-FI increased (0.24; 0.30; 0.40). The VA-FI was moderately correlated with the CGA-FI (r 0.45, p < 0.001). Every 0.1-unit increase in the VA-FI was associated with an increase in the CGA-FI (linear regression beta 0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03-0.06), higher CFS category (ordinal regression OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.24-2.30), higher odds of ADL dependency (logistic regression OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.20-2.11), IADL dependency (logistic regression OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.23-2.30), and a decrease in 4MGS (linear regression beta -0.07, 95% CI -0.12 to -0.02). All models were adjusted for age and race, and associations held after further adjustment for the Charlson Comorbidity Index.

conclusionOur results demonstrate the construct validity of the VA-FI through its associations with clinical measures of frailty, including summary frailty measures, functional status, and objective physical performance. Our findings complement others' in showing that eFIs can capture functional and mobility domains of frailty beyond just comorbidity and may be useful to measure frailty among populations and individuals.

Indexed as

FrailtyVeteransActivities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overComorbidityFrail ElderlyGeriatric AssessmentHumansconstruct validityelectronic frailty indexfrailtyfrailty indexgeriatric assessment

Identifiers

PMID37624049
PMCPMC10841281
OpenAlexW4386151873

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.