@article{ref1,
title="Risk factors for traumatic brain injuries during falls in older persons",
journal="Journal of head trauma rehabilitation",
year="2015",
author="Hwang, Hei-Fen and Cheng, Chui-Hsuan and Chien, Ding-Kuo and Yu, Wen-Yu and Lin, Mau-Roung",
volume="30",
number="6",
pages="E9-E17",
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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0885-9701",
doi="10.1097/HTR.0000000000000093",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000093"
}