The Application of Voice Biomarkers in Frailty: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: With an increasing prevalence of frailty among older adults, effective classification and management strategies for frailty have become imperative. Voice biomarkers, offering insights into the overall health status of older adults, hold promise for enhancing the management of this multifaceted geriatric syndrome.

Objectives: This scoping review aims to consolidate existing knowledge regarding the relationship between frailty and voice biomarkers.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines across multiple databases: PubMed, Embase, Proquest, Scopus, and Web of Science. The results were synthesized through information extraction and are presented in tables.

Results: A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority (63.6%) employed a cross-sectional design. Voice biomarkers encompassed acoustic parameters, such as the peak/average volume ratio, and linguistic parameters, such as verbal fluency. Nine articles reported significant associations between frailty and acoustic parameters. Three articles included linguistic parameters in their analyses. Only one demonstrated associations between frailty and both acoustic and linguistic parameters.

Conclusion: Despite the relatively small sample sizes in the included studies, the findings underscore a significant connection between voice biomarkers and frailty among older adults, suggesting the potential utility of vocal characteristics as non-invasive indicators for identifying and managing frailty. Integrating voice biomarkers into routine geriatric assessments could substantially improve the precision and efficiency of frailty management, facilitating personalized healthcare interventions tailored to the needs of older adults.