Citation

Faulkner KA, Redfern MS, Cauley JA, Landsittel DP, Studenski SA, Rosano C, Simonsick EM, Harris TB, Shorr RI, Ayonayon HN, Newman AB. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2007; 55(4): 570-576.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01147.x

PMID

17397436

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between poorer performance on concurrent walking and reaction time and recurrent falls. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred seventy-seven older community-dwelling adults (mean age+/-standard deviation 78+/-3). MEASUREMENTS: Reaction times on push-button and visual-spatial decision tasks were assessed while seated and while walking a 20-m course (straight walk) and a 20-m course with a turn at 10 m (turn walk). Walking times were recorded while walking only and while performing a reaction-time response. Dual-task performance was calculated as the percentage change in task times when done in dual-task versus single-task conditions. A history of recurrent falls (>/=2 vs </=1 falls) in the prior 12 months was self-reported. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict the standardized odds ratios (ORs) of recurrent falls history. The standardized unit for dual-task performance ORs was interquartile range/2. RESULTS: On the push-button task during the turn walk, poorer reaction time response (slower) was associated with 28% lower (P=.04) odds of recurrent fall history. On the visual-spatial task, poorer walking-time response (slower) was associated with 34% (P=.02) and 42% (P=.01) higher odds of recurrent falls history on the straight and turn walks, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that walking more slowly in response to a visual-spatial decision task may identify individuals at risk for multiple falls. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the prognostic value of poor walking responses in a dual-task setting for multiple falls.</=1 falls.

Language: en