Citation

Pinto EB, Nascimento C, Marinho C, Oliveira I, Monteiro M, Castro M, Myllane-Fernandes P, Ventura LM, Maso I, Lopes AA, Oliveira-Filho J. Top. Stroke Rehabil. 2014; 21(3): 220-227.

Affiliation

Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1310/tsr2103-220

PMID

24985389

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals with stroke have a high risk of falling, and their fall predictors may differ from those of other populations.

PURPOSE: To estimate fall frequency and identify factors related to fall occurrence in a sample of patients with stroke residing in the community.

METHODS: Clinical data were collected from 150 consecutive stroke patients with independent gait, and the following scales were applied: modified Barthel Index (mBI), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Univariate analysis was performed; variables with possible association (P <.1) were included in a logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to identify the best cutoff point for TUG.

RESULTS: Falls occurred in 37% of patients. In multivariate analysis, right hemisphere injury (odds ratio [OR], 2.621; 95% CI, 1.196-5.740; P =.016), time in TUG (OR, 1.035 for every increase in 1 second; 95% CI, 1.003-1.069; P =.034), and longer time since stroke onset (OR, 1.012 for every month increase; 95% CI, 1.002-1.021; P =.015) remained predictors. When we grouped individuals according to affected cerebral hemisphere, both hemispheres had similar accuracy, but TUG cutoff point was lower in individuals with right- versus left-hemisphere lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with poor TUG performance, longer times since stroke onset, and right-hemisphere injury have particularly high fall rates, and TUG cutoff points for fall prediction vary according to cerebral hemisphere.

Language: en