Characteristics and Outcomes of Older Adults Presented to Spanish Emergency Departments After a Fall

Overview

Journal Eur Geriatr Med

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2021 Oct 16

PMID 34654232

Citations 1

Authors

Francisco Javier Martin-Sanchez

Berenice Nayla Brizzi

Juan Gonzalez Del Castillo

Victoria Canto Blazquez

Clara Gonzalez Jimenez

Sira Aguilo Mir

Victoria Torres Machado

Adriana Gil

Raquel Cenjor

Oscar Miro

Javier Jacob Rodriguez

Pere Llorens

Pablo Herrero Puente

Cristina Fernandez Perez

Montserrat Lazaro Del Nogal

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To study patient profile, fall-related characteristics and immediate outcomes according to age and to determine the effect of age in the outcomes among older patients presenting to ED after a fall.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the FALL-ER registry that included patients aged ≥ 65 years old that presented to five Spanish EDs after a fall. Patients were classified into three age categories, and demographic, comorbidity, chronic medication, fall-related characteristics, health care resources and immediate outcomes data were analysed.

Results: We included 1610 patients, 541 (28%) aged 65-74, 647 (40.2%) aged 74-84 and 512 (31.8%) aged ≥ 85 years old. Indoor falls, with no witnesses, at night and due to non-identified causes were significantly more likely among the oldest old. Medications related to risk of falling and antithrombotic therapy significantly increased with age category. Physical, functional and psychological consequences and healthcare resource use increased significantly with age group. Age was independently associated with severe injury (adjusted OR 1.02; IC 95% 1.01-1.04), fear of falling (adjusted OR 1.02; IC 95% 1.01-1.04) and acute functional impairment (adjusted OR 1.02; IC 95% 1.00-1.04).

Conclusions: Indoor falls, with no witnesses, at night and due to non-identified causes were significantly more likely among the oldest old. The probability of presenting with severe injury, fear of falling and acute functional impairment increases with age.

Citing Articles

Prevalence and outcomes of fear of falling in older adults with falls at the emergency department: a multicentric observational study.

Garcia-Martinez A, Garcia-Rosa S, Gil-Rodrigo A, Torres Machado V, Perez-Fonseca C, Nickel C Eur Geriatr Med. 2024; 15(5):1281-1289.

PMID: 38809489 DOI: 10.1007/s41999-024-00992-1.

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