Jäger J, et al. - Researchers assessed whether 6-month and 1-year mortality in hospitalized geriatric patients could be predicted by a 21-item frailty index according to laboratory blood and urine tests (FI-Lab21) assessed at different points in time—ie, at admission to hospital (FI-Lab21_admission) and before discharge from hospital (FI-Lab21_discharge)—as well as by the change of the FI-Lab21 during the hospital stay. This study included 500 hospitalized geriatric patients aged ≥ 65 years. Based on findings, for the stratification of mortality risk in hospitalized geriatric patients, the feasibility of the FI-Lab21 assessed at admission or discharge and the changes of the FI-Lab21 during the hospital stay was evident. A reduction in 6-month and 1-year mortality of 5.9% and 5.3%, respectively, was noted in relation to each 1% decrease in the FI-Lab21 during the hospital stay, after adjusting for age, sex, and FI-Lab21_admission.