Study Links Frailty in Elderly to Inflammation
 (NY, Reuters Health, 11/15/02)

Seeking an explanation for why some people become frail with age, Dr. Linda P. Freid, Director of the Center for Aging and Health and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, and colleagues, analyzed the blood of 4735 seniors. The blood workups revealed the tendency of frail individuals to exhibit signs of inflammation, increased clotting and impaired carbohydrate metabolism. The researchers speculate that the bloodstream may carry the inflammation throughout the body, leading to the muscle weakness and low activity associated with frailty.