Validation of Two Intrinsic Capacity Scales and Its Relationship with Frailty and Other Outcomes in Mexican Community-Dwelling Older Adults

The aim of this study was to compare a short and a long version of an intrinsic capacity index and test their cross-sectional association with relevant health outcomes in older adults. Cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data of the FraDySMex study. 543 community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older living in 2 municipalities in Mexico City, from which 435 had complete data on the variables of interest. The intrinsic capacity indices were obtained using principal components analysis. The performance of the indices was tested respective to frailty, IADL and ADL. The short and long versions of the IC index performed well for assessing functional status. Using biometrical variables like the phase angle, grip strength and gait speed measured by the GAIT rite improved the index performance vis a vis IADL disability (Lawton), but not to the other evaluated outcomes. Both the long and short versions of the intrinsic capacity indices tested were able to classify older adults according to their functional status and were associated with relevant health outcomes.