Asha H Wettasinghe1, Dilshani W N Dissanayake2, Lara Allet3, Prasad Katulanda4, Stephen R Lord5. 1. Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Electronic address: asha@med.cmb.ac.lk. 2. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3. Department of Community Medicine, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Physiotherapy, School for Health Sciences, HES-SO, University of Applied Sciences & Arts of Western Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland. 4. Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. 5. Neuroscience Research Australia, UNSW, Randwick, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract
AIMS: To identify risk factors for falls in older people with diabetes mellitus (DM) and to develop a low-cost fall risk screening tool. METHODS: Older adults with DM (n = 103; age = 61.6 + 6.0 years) were recruited from diabetic clinics. Demographic, DM specific factors, lower limb strength and sensation, cognition, fear of falling, hand reaction time, balance, mobility and gait parameters were assessed using validated methods. Falls were prospectively recorded over six months. RESULTS: Past falls and female gender were identified as significant predictors of falls: history of falls and female gender increased fall rates by 4.62 (95% CI = 2.31-9.27) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.04-5.54) respectively. Fall rates were significantly associated with Diabetic Neuropathy scores, HbA1c level, contrast sensitivity, quadriceps strength, postural sway, tandem balance, stride length and Timed Up and Go Test times. A multi-variable fall risk tool derived using five measures, revealed that absolute risk for multiple falls increased from 0% in participants with zero or one factor to 83% in participants with all five risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Simple screening items for fall risk in people with DM were identified, with parsimonious explanatory risk factors. These findings help guide tailored interventions for preventing falls in DM.
AIMS: To identify risk factors for falls in older people with diabetes mellitus (DM) and to develop a low-cost fall risk screening tool. METHODS: Older adults with DM (n = 103; age = 61.6 + 6.0 years) were recruited from diabetic clinics. Demographic, DM specific factors, lower limb strength and sensation, cognition, fear of falling, hand reaction time, balance, mobility and gait parameters were assessed using validated methods. Falls were prospectively recorded over six months. RESULTS: Past falls and female gender were identified as significant predictors of falls: history of falls and female gender increased fall rates by 4.62 (95% CI = 2.31-9.27) and 2.40 (95% CI = 1.04-5.54) respectively. Fall rates were significantly associated with Diabetic Neuropathy scores, HbA1c level, contrast sensitivity, quadriceps strength, postural sway, tandem balance, stride length and Timed Up and Go Test times. A multi-variable fall risk tool derived using five measures, revealed that absolute risk for multiple falls increased from 0% in participants with zero or one factor to 83% in participants with all five risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Simple screening items for fall risk in people with DM were identified, with parsimonious explanatory risk factors. These findings help guide tailored interventions for preventing falls in DM.
Authors: Manuel Montero-Odasso; Nathalie van der Velde; Finbarr C Martin; Mirko Petrovic; Maw Pin Tan; Jesper Ryg; Sara Aguilar-Navarro; Neil B Alexander; Clemens Becker; Hubert Blain; Robbie Bourke; Ian D Cameron; Richard Camicioli; Lindy Clemson; Jacqueline Close; Kim Delbaere; Leilei Duan; Gustavo Duque; Suzanne M Dyer; Ellen Freiberger; David A Ganz; Fernando Gómez; Jeffrey M Hausdorff; David B Hogan; Susan M W Hunter; Jose R Jauregui; Nellie Kamkar; Rose-Anne Kenny; Sarah E Lamb; Nancy K Latham; Lewis A Lipsitz; Teresa Liu-Ambrose; Pip Logan; Stephen R Lord; Louise Mallet; David Marsh; Koen Milisen; Rogelio Moctezuma-Gallegos; Meg E Morris; Alice Nieuwboer; Monica R Perracini; Frederico Pieruccini-Faria; Alison Pighills; Catherine Said; Ervin Sejdic; Catherine Sherrington; Dawn A Skelton; Sabestina Dsouza; Mark Speechley; Susan Stark; Chris Todd; Bruce R Troen; Tischa van der Cammen; Joe Verghese; Ellen Vlaeyen; Jennifer A Watt; Tahir Masud Journal: Age Ageing Date: 2022-09-02 Impact factor: 12.782
Authors: Rafaela Simon Myra; Micheline Henrique Araújo da Luz Koerich; Elaine Cristina Gregório; Alessandra Swarowsky Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2022-07-25