Table 2 Clinical characteristics of the whole cohort
Total (n=428) | Fallers (n=139) | Non-fallers (n=289) | Relative risk (95% confidence interval) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographics and chronic co-morbidities | |||||
Age, years, mean±SD | 76.8±14.0 | 75.0±13.2 | 77.7±14.3 | / | 0.062 |
Men, n (%) | 210 (49.1) | 77 (55.4) | 133 (46.0) | 1.4 (0.9-2.1) | 0.079 |
Hypertension, n (%) | 278 (65.0) | 89 (64.0) | 189 (65.4) | 0.9 (0.6-1.4) | 0.829 |
Ischemic heart disease, n (%) | 149 (35.0) | 54 (39.1) | 95 (33.0) | 1.3 (0.8-1.9) | 0.233 |
Atrial fibrillation, n (%) | 100 (23.4) | 26 (18.7) | 74 (25.6) | 0.6 (0.4-1.1) | 0.143 |
Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 163 (38.1) | 59 (42.4) | 104 (36.0) | 1.3 (0.8-1.9) | 0.204 |
Dementia, n (%) | 66 (15.4) | 17 (12.2) | 49 (17.0) | 0.6 (0.3-1.2) | 0.253 |
Congestive heart failure, n (%) | 103 (24.1) | 36 (25.9) | 67 (23.2) | 1.1 (0.7-1.8) | 0.548 |
Chronic renal failure, n (%) | 142 (33.3) | 55 (39.6) | 87 (30.2) | 1.5 (0.9-2.3) | 0.062 |
Post-stroke, n (%) | 91 (21.3) | 28 (20.1) | 63 (21.8) | 0.9 (0.5-1.4) | 0.801 |
Chronic lung disease, n (%) | 45 (10.5) | 19 (13.8) | 26 (9.0) | 1.6 (0.8-3.0) | 0.177 |
Peripheral vascular disease, n (%) | 28 (6.6) | 8 (5.8) | 20 (6.9) | 0.8 (0.3-1.9) | 0.835 |
Cancer, n (%) | 93 (21.7) | 29 (20.9) | 64 (22.1) | 0.9 (0.5-1.5) | 0.803 |
Parkinson's disease, n (%) | 21 (4.9) | 4 (2.9) | 17 (5.9) | 0.4 (0.1-1.4) | 0.236 |
Hypothyroidism, n (%) | 42 (9.8) | 19 (13.8) | 23 (8.0) | 1.8 (0.9-3.5) | 0.081 |
Smoking, n (%) | 54 (12.6) | 26 (18.8) | 28 (9.7) | 2.1 (1.2-3.8) | 0.012 |
Laboratory | |||||
Hemoglobin, g/dl, mean±SD | 11.4±2.0 | 11.3±1.9 | 11.5±2.0 | / | 0.313 |
Albumin, g/dl, mean±SD | 3.3±0.5 | 3.2±0.5 | 3.3±0.5 | / | 0.062 |
Calcium, mg/dl, mean±SD | 8.8±0.7 | 8.7±0.7 | 8.9±0.7 | / | 0.008 |
Potassium, mEq/L, mean±SD | 4.3±0.7 | 4.1±0.6 | 4.4±0.8 | / | <0.0001 |
Urea, mg/dl, mean±SD | 66.3±50.1 | 69.3±49.8 | 64.8±50.3 | / | 0.383 |
Creatinine, mg/dl, mean±SD | 1.4±0.8 | 1.5±1.0 | 1.3±0.7 | / | 0.201 |
Alanine aminotransferase, IU, mean±SD | 35.1±113.7 | 35.2±71.4 | 35.0±129.3 | / | 0.985 |
Sodium, mEq/L, mean±SD | 135.6±5.2 | 135.7±4.3 | 135.6±5.6 | / | 0.778 |
Drugs | |||||
Anti-Parkinson’s, n (%) | 28 (6.5) | 8 (5.8) | 20 (6.9) | 0.8 (0.3-1.9) | 0.835 |
Benzodiazepines, n (%) | 157 (36.7) | 60 (43.2) | 97 (33.6) | 1.5 (0.9-2.2) | 0.055 |
Diuretics, n (%) | 156 (36.4) | 48 (34.5) | 108 (37.4) | 0.8 (0.5-1.3) | 0.593 |
Anti-epileptics, n (%) | 26 (6.1) | 15 (10.8) | 11 (3.8) | 3.0 (1.3-6.8) | 0.008 |
Opiates, n (%) | 71 (16.6) | 21 (15.1) | 50 (17.3) | 0.8 (0.4-1.4) | 0.677 |
Statins, n (%) | 152 (35.5) | 46 (33.1) | 106 (36.7) | 0.8 (0.5-1.3) | 0.518 |
Oral hypoglycemics, n (%) | 43 (10.0) | 19 (13.7) | 24 (8.3) | 1.7 (0.9-3.3) | 0.089 |
Insulin, n (%) | 92 (21.5) | 30 (21.6) | 62 (21.5) | 1.0 (0.6-1.6) | 0.999 |
Nitrates, n (%) | 28 (6.6) | 8 (5.8) | 20 (6.9) | 0.8 (0.3-1.9) | 0.835 |
Neuroleptics, n (%) | 62 (14.5) | 22 (15.9) | 40 (13.8) | 1.1 (0.6-2.0) | 0.560 |
Steroids, n (%) | 89 (20.8) | 35 (25.4) | 54 (18.7) | 1.4 (0.9-2.4) | 0.127 |
¥Antidepressants, n (%) | 80 (18.7) | 24 (17.4) | 56 (19.4) | 0.8 (0.5-1.4) | 0.692 |
Other data | |||||
Morse falls score, mean±SD | 16.2±6.1 | 17.3±5.6 | 15.7±6.3 | / | 0.016 |
Came from nursing home, n (%) | 85 (19.9) | 21 (15.1) | 64 (22.1) | 0.6 (0.3-1.0) | 0.094 |
Falls in the previous 6 months, n (%) | 289 (67.5) | 96 (69.1) | 193 (66.8) | 1.1 (0.7-1.7) | 0.661 |
Functionally Independent, n (%) | 105 (24.5) | 27 (19.4) | 78 (27.0) | / | <0.0001 |
Mildly dependent, n (%) | 232 (54.2) | 96 (69.1) | 136 (47.1) | / | |
Fully dependent, n (%) | 91 (21.3) | 16 (11.5) | 75 (26.0) | / | |
Walking device - no, n (%) | 230 (53.7) | 85 (61.2) | 145 (50.2) | / | 0.008 |
cane, n (%) | 59 (13.8) | 24 (17.3) | 35 (12.1) | / | |
walker, n (%) | 70 (16.4) | 17 (12.2) | 53 (18.3) | / | |
wheelchair, n (%) | 69 (16.1) | 13 (9.4) | 56 (19.4) | / | |