|
Citation
|
Huberty S, Freystätter G, Wieczorek M, Dawson-Hughes B, Kanis JA, Rizzoli R, Kressig RW, Vellas B, Da Silva JAP, Armbrecht G, Theiler R, Egli A, Orav EJ, Bischoff-Ferrari HA. J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
|
Abstract
|
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between the baseline number of chronic diseases and multimorbidity with regard to the incidence of all and injurious falls over 3 years among European community-dwelling older adults.
DESIGN: Observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicenter trial with 7 European centers: Zurich, Basel, Geneva (Switzerland), Berlin (Germany), Innsbruck (Austria), Toulouse (France), and Coimbra (Portugal), including 2157 community-dwelling adults aged 70 years and older without any major health events in the 5 years prior to enrollment, sufficient mobility, and good cognitive status.
METHODS: The main outcomes were the number of all falls and injurious falls experienced over 3 years. The number of chronic diseases and multimorbidity, defined as the presence of 3 or more chronic diseases at baseline, were assessed with the Self-Administered Comorbidity Questionnaire by Sangha et al.
RESULTS: Among the 2155 participants included in the analyses (mean age: 74.9 years, 62% were women, 52% were physically active more than 3 times a week), 569 (26.4%) had multimorbidity at baseline. Overall, each 1-unit increase in the baseline number of chronic diseases was linearly associated with a 7% increased incidence rate of all falls (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.12, P <.001) and a 6% increased incidence rate of injurious falls (aIRR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.11, P =.003). Baseline multimorbidity was associated with a 21% increased incidence rate of all falls (aIRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07-1.37, P =.002) and a 17% increased incidence rate of injurious falls (aIRR 1.17, 95% CI 1.03-1.32, P =.02).
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Baseline number of prevalent chronic diseases and multimorbidity in generally healthy and active community-dwelling older adults were associated with increased incidence rates of all and injurious falls over 3 years. These findings support that multimorbidity may need consideration as a risk factor for falls, even in generally healthy and active older adults.
Language: en |