Vivien Jørgensen1, Emelie Butler Forslund2, Arve Opheim3, Erika Franzén4, Kerstin Wahman5, Claes Hultling5, Åke Seiger5, Agneta Ståhle6, Johan K Stanghelle7, Kirsti S Roaldsen1. 1. Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway. 2. Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Rehab Station Stockholm/Spinalis R&D Unit. 3. Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway. 4. Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Physiotherapy, Karolinska University Hospital. 5. Rehab Station Stockholm/Spinalis R&D Unit; Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurodegeneration, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 6. Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway; Department of Physiotherapy, Karolinska University Hospital; Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Neurodegeneration, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 7. Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesodden, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
QUESTIONS: What is the 1-year incidence of falls and injurious falls in a representative cohort of community-dwelling ambulatory individuals with chronic spinal cord injury? What are the predictors of recurrent falls (more than two/year) and injurious falls in this population? DESIGN: One-year longitudinal observational multi-centre study. PARTICIPANTS: A representative sample of 68 (of 73 included) community-dwelling ambulatory individuals with traumatic SCI attending regular follow-up programs at rehabilitation centres. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were incidence and predictors of recurrent falls (more than two/year) and injurious falls reported every 2 weeks for 1year. RESULTS: A total of 48% of participants reported recurrent falls. Of the 272 reported falls, 41% were injurious. Serious injuries were experienced by 4% of participants, all of whom were women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that recurrent falls in the previous year (OR=111, 95% CI=8.6 to 1425), fear of falling (OR=6.1, 95% CI=1.43 to 26) and longer time taken to walk 10m (OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.0 to 1.7) were predictors of recurrent falls. Fear of falling (OR=4.3, 95% CI=1.3 to 14) and recurrent falls in the previous year (OR=4.2, 95% CI=1.2 to 14) were predictors of injurious falls. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory individuals have a high risk of falling and of fall-related injuries. Fall history, fear of falling and walking speed could predict recurrent falls and injurious falls. Further studies with larger samples are needed to validate these findings. [Jørgensen V, Butler Forslund E, Opheim A, Franzén E, Wahman K, Hultling C, Seiger Å, Ståhle A, Stanghelle JK, Roaldsen KS (2017) Falls and fear of falling predict future falls and related injuries in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury: a longitudinal observational study. Journal of Physiotherapy 63: 108-113].
QUESTIONS: What is the 1-year incidence of falls and injurious falls in a representative cohort of community-dwelling ambulatory individuals with chronic spinal cord injury? What are the predictors of recurrent falls (more than two/year) and injurious falls in this population? DESIGN: One-year longitudinal observational multi-centre study. PARTICIPANTS: A representative sample of 68 (of 73 included) community-dwelling ambulatory individuals with traumatic SCI attending regular follow-up programs at rehabilitation centres. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were incidence and predictors of recurrent falls (more than two/year) and injurious falls reported every 2 weeks for 1year. RESULTS: A total of 48% of participants reported recurrent falls. Of the 272 reported falls, 41% were injurious. Serious injuries were experienced by 4% of participants, all of whom were women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that recurrent falls in the previous year (OR=111, 95% CI=8.6 to 1425), fear of falling (OR=6.1, 95% CI=1.43 to 26) and longer time taken to walk 10m (OR=1.3, 95% CI=1.0 to 1.7) were predictors of recurrent falls. Fear of falling (OR=4.3, 95% CI=1.3 to 14) and recurrent falls in the previous year (OR=4.2, 95% CI=1.2 to 14) were predictors of injurious falls. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory individuals have a high risk of falling and of fall-related injuries. Fall history, fear of falling and walking speed could predict recurrent falls and injurious falls. Further studies with larger samples are needed to validate these findings. [Jørgensen V, Butler Forslund E, Opheim A, Franzén E, Wahman K, Hultling C, Seiger Å, Ståhle A, Stanghelle JK, Roaldsen KS (2017) Falls and fear of falling predict future falls and related injuries in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury: a longitudinal observational study. Journal of Physiotherapy 63: 108-113].
Authors: Alia Khan; Clara Pujol; Mark Laylor; Nikola Unic; Maureen Pakosh; Jaclyn Dawe; Kristin E Musselman Journal: Spinal Cord Date: 2019-04-09 Impact factor: 2.772
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Authors: I Axén; I Jensen; E Butler Forslund; B Grahn; V Jørgensen; C H Opava; L Bodin Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2020-05-19 Impact factor: 4.615