TY - JOUR PY - 2023// TI - Imminent fall risk after fracture JO - Age and ageing A1 - Schene, Merle R. A1 - Wyers, Caroline E. A1 - Driessen, Annemariek M. H. A1 - Souverein, Patrick C. A1 - Gemmeke, Marle A1 - van den Bergh, Joop P. A1 - Willems, Hanna C. SP - afad201 EP - afad201 VL - 52 IS - 10 N2 - RATIONALE: Adults with a recent fracture have a high imminent risk of a subsequent fracture. We hypothesise that, like subsequent fracture risk, fall risk is also highest immediately after a fracture. This study aims to assess if fall risk is time-dependent in subjects with a recent fracture compared to subjects without a fracture.

METHODS: This retrospective matched cohort study used data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD. All subjects ≥50 years with a fracture between 1993 and 2015 were identified and matched one-to-one to fracture-free controls based on year of birth, sex and practice. The cumulative incidence and relative risk (RR) of a first fall was calculated at various time intervals, with mortality as competing risk. Subsequently, analyses were stratified according to age, sex and type of index fracture.

RESULTS: A total of 624,460 subjects were included; 312,230 subjects with an index fracture, matched to 312,230 fracture-free controls (71% females, mean age 70 ± 12, mean follow-up 6.5 ± 5 years). The RR of falls was highest in the first year after fracture compared to fracture-free controls; males had a 3-fold and females a 2-fold higher risk. This imminent fall risk was present in all age and fracture types and declined over time. A concurrent imminent fracture and mortality risk were confirmed.

CONCLUSION/DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates an imminent fall risk in the first years after a fracture in all age and fracture types. This underlines the need for early fall risk assessment and prevention strategies in 50+ adults with a recent fracture.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0002-0729 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afad201 ID - ref1 ER -