Citation

Lim JY, Jung SH, Kim WS, Paik NJ. PM R 2012; 4(12): 945-953.

Affiliation

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea(⁎).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pmrj.2012.07.005

PMID

22959053

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Data concerning the incidence of falls and risk factors for falls have been inconsistent in previous studies, mainly as a result of methodologic heterogeneity. We used a telephone survey to investigate the incidence of falls and risk factors for falls in persons who had a stroke. DESIGN: Telephone survey. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who had a stroke and were admitted to the rehabilitation unit between April 2006 and July 2008 were listed and contacted by telephone from February 2009 to August 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Information obtained from the interviews, which were performed 20 ± 8 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, included demographic data, information about falls, and current ambulatory function. After the telephone interview, medical records of participants during admission were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 404 enrolled patients, 330 were included in the analysis. Of the 330 patients, 62 (19%) had a history of a fall after stroke onset. Of 222 ambulatory patients, 51 patients (23%) fell. Falls frequently occurred in winter, and most falls occurred indoors (70%). Twenty-nine percent of patients experienced repeated falls. About half of those who fell were injured, and 11% sustained fractures. Patients who had a stroke and had severe deficits showed a lower probability of poststroke falls. In a subgroup analysis of patients with ambulatory capacity, left-sided hemiplegia/hemiparesis was associated with an increased risk of falls. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a high incidence of poststroke falls after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. More caution should be taken for patients with ambulatory ability and left hemiplegia/hemiparesis because they are more vulnerable to falls after a stroke. An increased rate of fear of falling in people who fell suggests that an appropriate intervention to reduce fear of falling should be provided to patients who have had a stroke.

Language: en