@article{ref1,
title="Gait speed and risk assessment for falls among men aged 80 years and older: A prospective cohort study in Taiwan",
journal="European geriatric medicine",
year="2014",
author="Liang, C.-k. and Chou, M.-y. and Peng, L.-n. and Liao, M.-c. and Chu, C.-l. and Lin, Y.-t. and Chen, L.-k.",
volume="5",
number="5",
pages="298-302",
abstract="PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness of adding gait speed to the history of falls in predicting falls among men aged 80years and older in Taiwan. <br><br>METHODS This prospective cohort study recruited 230 ambulatory men aged 80years and older in 2012 and followed for 12months. In addition to demographic characteristics and history of falls, a comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed for all study subjects. Gait speed was obtained by the 6-m walk and three different cut-offs (<0.5, ≤0.8 and <1.0m/s) were tested in improving the ability of predicting subsequent falls by using history of falls. <br><br>RESULTS Among all subjects (mean age: 85.5±4.0years), 26.1% (60/230) reported falls during follow-up period. Univariate analysis showed that polypharmacy, urinary incontinence, history of falls, pain, poorer baseline physical function, depressive mood, and gait speed<0.5m/s were associated with falls. Logistic regression showed that history of falls (OR: 4.255, 95% CI 2.089-8.667; P<0.001), pain (OR: 2.674, 95% CI 1.332-5.369; P=0.006), older age (OR: 1.128, 95% CI 1.031-1.234; P=0.008), and slow gait speed (OR: 2.964, 95% CI 1.394-6.300; P=0.005) were all independent risk factors for falls. Fast gait speed (defined as≥1m/s) was a protective factor for falls, even among subjects with history of falls, but slow gait speed (defined as<0.5m/s) was an independent risk factor even among subjects without history of falls. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS Combined history of falls and gait speed is a simple and effective tool in risk assessment of falls among older old population.<p />",
language="en",
issn="1878-7649",
doi="10.1016/j.eurger.2014.06.034",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurger.2014.06.034"
}