OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictors of falls, such as comorbidity and medication, in geriatric outpatients in a longitudinal observational study. METHODS: A total of 172 outpatients (45 men and 126 women, mean age 76.9 ± 7.0 years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical history and medication profile were obtained from each patient at baseline. These patients were followed for up to 2 years and falls were self-reported to their physicians. The factors associated with falls were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients experienced falls within 2 years. On univariate analysis, older age, osteoporosis, number of comorbid conditions and number of drugs were significantly associated with falls within 2 years. On multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with falls, independent of age, sex, number of comorbid conditions and other factors that were significantly associated in univariate analysis. A receiver-operator curve evaluating the optimal cut-off value for the number of drugs showed that taking five or more drugs was a significant risk. CONCLUSION: In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy is associated with falls. Intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidity and falls.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictors of falls, such as comorbidity and medication, in geriatric outpatients in a longitudinal observational study. METHODS: A total of 172 outpatients (45 men and 126 women, mean age 76.9 ± 7.0 years) were evaluated. Physical examination, clinical history and medication profile were obtained from each patient at baseline. These patients were followed for up to 2 years and falls were self-reported to their physicians. The factors associated with falls were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients experienced falls within 2 years. On univariate analysis, older age, osteoporosis, number of comorbid conditions and number of drugs were significantly associated with falls within 2 years. On multiple logistic regression analysis, the number of drugs was associated with falls, independent of age, sex, number of comorbid conditions and other factors that were significantly associated in univariate analysis. A receiver-operator curve evaluating the optimal cut-off value for the number of drugs showed that taking five or more drugs was a significant risk. CONCLUSION: In geriatric outpatients, polypharmacy is associated with falls. Intervention studies are needed to clarify the causal relationship between polypharmacy, comorbidity and falls.
Authors: Matthew C Lohman; Brandi P Cotton; Alexandra B Zagaria; Yuhua Bao; Rebecca L Greenberg; Karen L Fortuna; Martha L Bruce Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2017-08-28 Impact factor: 5.128
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Authors: Justin P Turner; Kris M Jamsen; Sepehr Shakib; Nimit Singhal; Robert Prowse; J Simon Bell Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2015-10-09 Impact factor: 3.603