Background Frailty is an increasingly recognized comorbidity in chronic kidney disease and is associated with adverse outcomes. Although extensively studied in dialysis populations, its prevalence and associated factors in nondialysis chronic kidney disease remain less well-defined. This study aimed to estimate frailty prevalence and identify associated demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors in adults with nondialysis chronic kidney disease. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018, including 9156 adults with nondialysis chronic kidney disease. Frailty status (robust, prefrail, and frail) was assessed using a modified Fried phenotype. Survey-weighted multinomial logistic regression was applied to explore associations with demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables. Results The robust group comprised 30.3% of participants, the prefrail group 67.2%, and the frail group 2.5%. Most participants were in early-stage chronic kidney disease (G1–G2). Frailty was associated with older age, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and lower education level. Laboratory findings associated with frailty included lower albumin and hemoglobin, higher blood urea nitrogen, lower bilirubin, reduced globulin, decreased lymphocyte count, and elevated monocyte count. Conclusions Frailty and prefrailty are highly prevalent even in early-stage chronic kidney disease. These findings highlight the need for early screening and integrated care strategies targeting modifiable clinical and sociodemographic factors.
Yang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.