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Affiliation
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University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. |
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Abstract
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We evaluated fall frequency and factors affecting falls among middle-aged and older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from T1D Exchange Registry. Twenty-nine percent of T1D participants reported falls within the past 12 months. Severe hypoglycemia, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and depression were associated with falls in adults with T1D.
PURPOSE: Fall is an important risk factor for osteoporotic fracture; we evaluated fall frequency and factors affecting falls among middle-aged and older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
METHODS: Participants aged ≥ 55 years with T1D completed an email-based questionnaire on falls in the prior 12 months. Demographic, clinical, and fall-related information were gathered from the questionnaire; HbA1c was recorded from medical record data extraction.
RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty five adults with T1D completed the fall questionnaire (mean age 64 ± 7 years, 57% females, and 97% were non-Hispanic whites). The mean diabetes duration was 36 years with mean HbA1c of 7.3%. Among the 435 participants, 126 reported at least one fall in the prior 12 months (29%). The fall frequency values in adults (55-64 years) with T1D and older adults (> 65 years) were 26 and 32%, respectively (p = 0.16). There was no significant difference in frequency of fall between female and male participants (31 vs. 26%, p = 0.33). Of 126 participants who had a fall, 44% had injuries due to fall, 24% required medical attention, and 13 participants reported fracture (10%). Severe hypoglycemia (odds ratio (OR) 3.6), diabetic peripheral neuropathy (OR 2.2), and depression (OR 1.7) were associated with falls in adults with T1D. Forty-one percent of participants were fearful of falls.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on prevalence and risk factors for falls suggesting that falls are common in T1D and severe hypoglycemia is a unique diabetes-related factor associated with threefold higher risk for falls.
Language: en |