Abstract
Abstract
Background
Frailty captures the age-related declines in health leading to increased vulnerability, including falls which are commonplace in older women. The relationship between frailty and falls is complex, with one leading to the other in a vicious cycle.
Aims
This study addresses the gap in understanding how patterns of frailty and falls propensity interact, particularly in those who have not yet entered the falls-frailty cycle.
Methods
The Osteoporosis Risk Assessment cohort consists of 1044 community-dwelling women aged 75, with 10 years of follow-up. Investigations were performed and a frailty index constructed at baseline, 5 and 10 years. Falls were self-reported for each previous 12 months. Analysis was two-directional, firstly based on frailty status and second, based on falls status. Recurrent falls was the primary outcome.
Results
Baseline frailty was a significant predictor of recurrent falls after 5 and 10 years [(OR 2.55 (1.62–3.99); 3.04 (1.63–5.67)]. Among women who had no history of falls at age 75, frailty was a stronger predictor of falls at 5 years [OR 3.06 (1.59–5.89)] than among women who had previously fallen.
Discussion
Frailty is significantly associated with recurrent falls and most pronounced in those who are frail but have not yet fallen.
Conclusions
This suggests that frailty should be an integral part of falls-risk assessment to improve identification of those at risk of becoming fallers.
Funder
Vetenskapsrådet
Greta och Johan Kocks stiftelser
Direktör Albert Påhlssons Stiftelse
Alfred Österlunds Stiftelse
Herman Järnhardt Foundation
Stiftelsen Konung Gustaf V:s 80-årsfond
Gun och Bertil Stohnes Stiftelse
Skånes universitetssjukhus
Skåne County Council's Research and Development Foundation
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Geriatrics and Gerontology,Aging
Cited by
41 articles.
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