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Citation
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Wald P, Chocano-Bedoya PO, Meyer U, Orav EJ, Egli A, Theiler R, Bischoff-Ferrari HA. J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Affiliation
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Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Waid City Hospital, and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Clinic for Acute Geriatric Care, Waid City Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: heike.bischoff@usz.ch. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: To assess the validity of 4 functional tests in predicting falls within the first year after hip fracture.
DESIGN: Prospective study of functional tests shortly after hip surgery and incident falls during 12 months' follow-up. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The sample comprised 173 adults with acute hip fracture, aged 65 years and older (79% women, 77% community dwelling, mean age 84.2 years), who participated in a clinical trial of vitamin D or home exercise.
METHODS: We assessed 4 functional tests [Timed Up and Go test (TUG), grip strength, and knee flexor and extensor strength in the nonoperated leg] by trained study physiotherapists at baseline (1-12 days after hip fracture surgery). During 12 months' follow-up, we ascertained all fall events by monthly personal phone calls, a telephone hotline, and a patient diary. Then we compared TUG and strength test performance at baseline between future single fallers, recurrent fallers, and nonfallers over the 12-month follow-up. All analyses adjusted for age, body mass index, gender, 25-hydroxyvitamin D status at baseline, days of follow-up, and treatment allocation (the original trial tested vitamin D treatment and/or a home exercise program).
RESULTS: Ninety-two of 173 (53%) participants fell and experienced 212 falls. Participants who became recurrent fallers (n = 54) had significantly longer TUG times at baseline than those who did not fall (n = 81) in the following 12 months (mean TUG for recurrent fallers = 71.6 seconds, SD = 8.2 seconds, vs mean TUG for nonfallers = 51.4 seconds, SD = 6.9 seconds; P = .02). There were no significant differences in TUG times between single fallers and nonfallers. For all 3 strength tests, there were no significant differences between single fallers, recurrent fallers, and nonfallers.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: In this population of frail older adults recruited shortly after hip fracture surgery, only the TUG test discriminated between future recurrent fallers and nonfallers over a 12-month follow-up. Because of the high incidence and serious consequences of falls in older adults after a hip fracture, it is very important to identify practical and clinically related tests to predict repeated falls in the first year after a hip fracture, which is of great public health importance.
Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Language: en |