This study aimed to conduct a literature review on the topic of the frailty syndrome in the elderly, since the literature still lacks unanimity on its conceptualization. One review was held in May and June 2012, through the descriptors frailty, aged, frail elderly and aging and their counterparts in Portuguese in LILACS, MEDLINE, PubMed and SciELO databases. The sample included articles published from 1990 to 2012, resulting from quantitative, qualitative primary research and theoretical studies. The 58 articles selected in the final sample showed different methodological tools to identify and quantify the presence of frailty in the elderly. They showed that frailty in elderly involves multiple dimensions and can be influenced by factors related to the individual himself or external factors, which result in different concepts of the frailty syndrome in the elderly. We conclude that researchers in the field are investing in the generation of knowledge in order to develop a single definition that can include more properly the concept of frailty syndrome in the elderly, helping change adverse outcomes, and intervening in the prevention and promotion health to them.
Elderly; Frail Elderly; Aging; Fragility