Frailty is independently associated with increased hospitalisation days in patients on the liver transplant waitlist

Table 1 Baseline demographics of waitlisted cohort enrolled into the FrAILT study stratified by frail (Fried Frailty Index ≥ 3) and non-Frail (Fried Frailty Index < 3)

Characteristic	Overall (n = 587)	Frail (n = 184)	Non-frail (n = 399)	P value
Age (yr)	60 (53-64)	60 (54-64)	59 (52-63)	0.03
Male	64%	60%	66%	0.12
BMI (kg/m2)	28 (25-33)	28 (25-33)	28 (25-33)	0.74
MELD (points)	15 (12-18)	16 (14-20)	14 (12-17)	< 0.001
Albumin (g/dL)	3.0 (2.6-3.5)	2.9 (2.5-3.2)	3.2 (2.7-3.6)	< 0.001
Sodium (nmol/L)	137 (134-139)	135 (132-138)	137 (135-139)	< 0.001
HCC	33%	25%	36%	0.004
Numbers connection test (s)	40 (30-54)	46 (34-61)	38 (29-51)	< 0.001
Ascites	28%	40%	22%	< 0.001
HIV	2.9%	2.7%	3.0%	0.85
Diabetes	31%	32%	30%	0.46

BMI: Body mass index; MELD: Model for end stage liver disease; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus.