Aim: To investigate the association of fall risk with comorbidities and medications in geriatric outpatients in a cross-sectional design.

Methods:   A total of 262 outpatients (84 men and 178 women, mean age 76.2±6.8years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical histories and medication profile were obtained from each patient. History of falls in the past year, 22-item fall risk index, 13-point simple screening test for fall, and time interval of one-leg standing test were examined as markers of fall risk.

Results: On univariate analysis, older age, female sex, hypertension, osteoporosis, history of stroke, number of comorbidities, use of antihypertensives, aspirin, bisphosphonates, hypnotics and number of prescribed drugs were significantly associated with either of four indices. On multiple regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with all of the four indices, independent of other factors associated in the univariate analysis. The association of number of drugs with fall risk indices was stepwise.

Conclusion: In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy rather than number of comorbidities was associated with fall risk. Prospective and intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidities and fall risk.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0594.2011.00703.xDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

fall risk
24
geriatric outpatients
12
fall
8
univariate analysis
8
number comorbidities
8
drugs associated
8
associated indices
8
number drugs
8
risk
6
number
5

Similar Publications

Season of conception and risk of hypertensive disorder during pregnancy.

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

January 2025

National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.

Background: Hypertensive Disorder during Pregnancy (HDP) is the most prevalent obstetric conditions in maternal health, but the etiology of most cases remains unexplained. Seasonal variations in the conception of HDP may offer insights into the potential seasonal-specific risk factors.

Methods: Data were sourced from the China's National Maternal Near Miss Surveillance System (NMNMSS) between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: More than one in four older adults fall yearly, but fewer than half inform their doctors. As such, medical trainees must gain experience assessing fall risk in older adults. Studies exploring how often residents initiate these assessments and which interventions effectively increase this frequency are needed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) affects outcomes in liver transplantation (LT). Existing risk models developed for deceased-donor LT depend on posttransplant factors and fall short in living-donor LT (LDLT), where pretransplant evaluations are crucial for preventing EAD and justifying the donor's risks.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 2944 adult patients who underwent LDLT at 17 centers between 2016 and 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fall rates in bifocal, trifocal, and progressive addition lens glasses wearers.

Optom Vis Sci

January 2025

Department of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Purpose: There is evidence that wearing multifocal glasses increases the risk of falls in older people, especially when walking on stairs and in unfamiliar settings. However, it is not clear whether all types of multifocal glasses are equally associated with falls. This study comprised a secondary analysis of data from the VISIBLE randomized controlled trial to determine whether fall rates differ among older bifocal, trifocal, and progressive addition lens glasses wearers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Temperature and light dual-responsive hydrogels for anti-inflammation and wound repair monitoring.

J Mater Chem B

January 2025

National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China.

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic biological process that requires meticulous management to ensure optimal outcomes. Traditional wound dressings, such as gauze and bandages, although commonly used, often fall short in their frequent need for replacement, lack of real-time monitoring and absence of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which can lead to increased risk of infection and delayed healing. Here, we address these limitations by introducing an innovative hydrogel dressing, named PHDNN6, to combine wireless Bluetooth temperature monitoring and light-triggered nitric oxide (NO) release to enhance wound healing and management.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!