High-dose dexmedetomidine versus dexamethasone supplementation to interscalene brachial plexus block in arthroscopic shoulder surgery: A randomized, controlled trial.

Aging is a lifelong process marked by progressive structural and functional changes that determine health across the lifespan []. As populations age, interest in healthy aging has shifted from disease-based definitions toward functional approaches []. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined healthy aging as the process of developing and maintaining functional ability, which arises from Intrinsic Capacity (IC), environmental characteristics, and their interaction []. IC encompasses all the mental and physical capacities that an individual can draw upon []. It is a multidimensional construct influenced by demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors [,]. The clinical and practical relevance of IC lies in its strong association with health and functional status in older adults [,]. Higher IC has been associated with greater functional independence and survival, whereas lower IC has been linked to frailty, falls, hospitalization, institutionalization, polypharmacy, and increased mortality [,–]. IC is typically assessed across five domains—locomotion, cognition, psychological, vitality, and sensory—often guided by the WHO’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework [,–]. Several studies report that 55%–77% of community-dwelling older adults present impairment in IC [–]. However, prevalence estimates vary across populations and settings. Evidence from a previous study conducted in Mexico, based on a secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), highlighted a substantial burden of IC impairment among adults aged ≥50 years, with approximately 88% of participants presenting impairment in at least one IC domain []. Prevalence increased with age and exceeded 90% among the oldest age groups [].