Citation

Hwang HF, Cheng CH, Chien DK, Yu WY, Lin MR. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2015; 30(6): E9-E17.

Affiliation

Department of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, Taipei, Taiwan (Ms Hwang); Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (Ms Hwang and Dr Lin); Department of Emergency Medicine, Taichung Branch, Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan (Dr Cheng); Department of Emergency Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Dr Chien); and Department of Emergency Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (Dr Yu).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000093

PMID

25629257

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:: To identify risk factors for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) during falls in older Taiwanese people. PARTICIPANTS:: Case patients consisted of 113 patients aged 60 years or older with a moderate/severe TBI due to a fall. Two control groups: (1) 339 older patients with a soft-tissue injury; and (2) 113 with a mild-TBI due to a fall. Proxies were required to provide information for a considerable number of patients.

DESIGN:: Matched case-control study. SETTINGS:: The emergency departments of 3 general hospitals. MEASURES:: Sociodemographic, lifestyle behavior, chronic condition, medication use, functional abilities, and fall-related characteristics.

RESULTS:: When patients with a soft-tissue injury were assigned to the control group, men were 2.06-fold more likely to have a moderate/severe TBI than women. Subjects who took antiarrhythmics within 4 hours of a fall were 2.59-fold more likely to have a moderate/severe TBI than those who took none. Subjects who were negotiating stairs and getting in/out of the bed/chair were 3.12-fold and 2.97-fold, respectively, more likely to have a moderate/severe TBI than those who fell while walking. Falling backward and sideways was 4.07-fold and 2.30-fold, respectively, more likely to cause a moderate/severe TBI than falling forward. When patients with a mild-TBI were assigned to the control group, results were similar, with the exception that the effect of antiarrhythmic use became nonsignificant and subjects who took 2 or more medications were 3.07-fold more likely to have a moderate/severe TBI than those who took none.

CONCLUSION:: Avoiding a head impact during a backward or sideways fall, reducing unnecessary use of polypharmacy and antiarrhythmics, and maintaining safety during stair negotiation and bed/chair transfer may protect an elderly person from a severe brain injury.

Language: en