Delirium and frailty in older adults: Clinical overlap and biological underpinnings

Abstract

Frailty and delirium are two common geriatric syndromes sharing several clinical characteristics, risk factors, and negative outcomes. Understanding their interdependency is crucial to identify shared mechanisms and implement initiatives to reduce the associated burden. This literature review summarizes scientific evidence on the complex interplay between frailty and delirium; clinical, epidemiological, and pathophysiological commonalities; and current knowledge gaps. We conducted a PubMed systematic search in June 2023, which yielded 118 eligible articles out of 991. The synthesis of the results—carried out by content experts—highlights overlapping risk factors, clinical phenotypes, and outcomes and explores the influence of one syndrome on the onset of the other. Common pathophysiological mechanisms identified include inflammation, neurodegeneration, metabolic insufficiency, and vascular burden. The review suggests that frailty is a risk factor for delirium, with some support for delirium associated with accelerated frailty. The proposed unifying framework supports the integration and measurement of both constructs in research and clinical practice, identifying the geroscience approach as a potential avenue to develop strategies for both conditions. In conclusion, we suggest that frailty and delirium might be alternative—sometimes coexisting—manifestations of accelerated biological aging. Clinically, the concepts addressed in this review can help approach older adults with either frailty or delirium from a different perspective. From a research standpoint, longitudinal studies are needed to explore the hypothesis that specific pathways within the biology of aging may underlie the clinical manifestations of frailty and delirium. Such research will pave the way for future understanding of other geriatric syndromes as well.