🧓 Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)
The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) grades overall frailty in older or chronically ill patients on a 1–9 ordinal scale to inform risk and treatment decisions.
Grade the chronic baseline two weeks before presentation rather than the acute deterioration, otherwise an acutely unwell but previously robust patient is over-scored (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
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When to use
Select the descriptor that best matches the patient's baseline state (about two weeks before the acute illness); the tool returns the grade and a frailty stratum.
How it works
Ordinal judgement, not a sum: 1 very fit → 9 terminally ill. Grades 1–3 not frail, 4 vulnerable/pre-frail, 5–6 mild–moderate frailty, 7–9 severe frailty.
Key points
- Grade the chronic baseline two weeks before presentation rather than the acute deterioration, otherwise an acutely unwell but previously robust patient is over-scored (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
- Higher CFS correlates with more postoperative complications, longer admission, and higher mortality, and supports shared benefit–risk discussion for surgery, ICU admission, or cancer therapy.
- It is a judgement aid, not a substitute for comprehensive geriatric assessment, and is less validated in younger adults or stable single-system disability.
References
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Frailty level | 1 Very fit: robust, active, energetic, exercises regularly |
|---|
→CFSGrade 1
- Stratum：Not frail
| Frailty level | 9 Terminally ill: life expectancy <6 months |
|---|
→CFSGrade 9
- Stratum：Severe frailty
Frequently asked questions
- What is Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)?
- The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) grades overall frailty in older or chronically ill patients on a 1–9 ordinal scale to inform risk and treatment decisions.
- How is Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) calculated? What is the core formula?
- Ordinal judgement, not a sum: 1 very fit → 9 terminally ill. Grades 1–3 not frail, 4 vulnerable/pre-frail, 5–6 mild–moderate frailty, 7–9 severe frailty.
- When is Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) used?
- Select the descriptor that best matches the patient's baseline state (about two weeks before the acute illness); the tool returns the grade and a frailty stratum.
- What are the key clinical points for Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)?
- Grade the chronic baseline two weeks before presentation rather than the acute deterioration, otherwise an acutely unwell but previously robust patient is over-scored (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim). Higher CFS correlates with more postoperative complications, longer admission, and higher mortality, and supports shared benefit–risk discussion for surgery, ICU admission, or cancer therapy. It is a judgement aid, not a substitute for comprehensive geriatric assessment, and is less validated in younger adults or stable single-system disability.
- What are the limits and cautions when using Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS)?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Frailty level 1 Very fit: robust, active, energetic, exercises regularly → Result: CFS Grade 1（Stratum: Not frail） Inputs: Frailty level 9 Terminally ill: life expectancy <6 months → Result: CFS Grade 9（Stratum: Severe frailty）