Clinical and environmental factors, functional status, and multimorbidity—stratifying progression and prognosis of multimorbidity, frailty, and disability: the Age-It Research Program

ObjectivesThis paper describes the methodology and activities of the third thetic challenge (Spoke 3) of the Age-It program. Spoke 3 aims to address the clinical complexity and heterogeneity of older subjects’ phenotypes through an interdisciplinary biomedical approach.MethodsSpoke 3 will investigate biorkers related to multimorbidity and frailty, develop prognostic algorithms using novel methodological approaches, including artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to combine biological and clinical data, and identify nagement strategies for complex older subjects with multimorbidity and frailty. These activities will be realized by launching new prospective longitudinal studies and through new analyses of existing longitudinal cohorts.ResultsSpoke 3 is expected to generate original evidence concerning older subjects with multimorbidity and/or frailty, to support a more precise diagnostic evaluation, to improve the ability to predict the functional and cognitive trajectories, with the final aim of better naging this complex population. Spoke 3 also aims to evaluate the impact of clite change and pollution on the health status of older subjects by combining health and environmental data.DiscussionOvercoming the traditional medical approach, focused on the diagnosis and treatment of single diseases, Spoke 3 should provide important original evidence to improve the nagement of older subjects with multimorbidity and frailty.