[Relation between grip strength of independent elders and functional decline following an emergency department visit : a pan-Canadian study].

Objective: To determine whether grip strength and fear of falling are associated with functional decline at 3 or 6 months after a minor trauma assessed in the emergency department.

Method: Prospective multicenter cohort study of patient's aged 65 years and older, independent for activities of daily living, consulting the emergency department for minor trauma. Functional status, fear of falling, and grip strength measurements were collected. Functional decline was measured at 3 and 6 months.

Statistics: Two groups were compared : one with functional decline, the other without. A ROC curve explored the predictive power of grip strength and initial fear of falling on the occurrence of functional decline.

Results: Participants were 74.7 years old, 52 % men. Initial peak grip strengths were identical (p superior to 0.05). Grip strength and fear of falling were not predictive of functional decline (p = 0.55 and p = 0.53). However, fear of falling was associated with functional decline (OR: 1.141 95 % CI [1.032-1.261]; p = 0.009).

Conclusion: In the autonomous elder with minor trauma in the emergency department, grip strength is not associated with subsequent functional decline. But fear of falling is associated with decline at 6 months.