Frailty and health services use among Quebec seniors with non-hip fractures: a population-based study using adminsitrative databases

Effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban vs warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) included a low proportion of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and suggested that DOACs are safe and effective in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD. In a metanalysis of RCTs and observational studies, DOACs were associated with better efficacy (vs warfarin) in early CKD and had similar efficacy and safety profiles in patients with stages IV-V CKD. But few studies have provided data on the safety and effectiveness of each DOAC vs warfarin in patients with stage III CKD. The effectiveness and safety of DOACs in those patients are still subject to debate.

AIM

To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban vs warfarin in this patient population.

METHODS

A cohort of patients with an inpatient or outpatient code for AF and stage III CKD who were newly prescribed apixaban and rivaroxaban was created using the administrative databases from the Quebec province of Canada between 2013 and 2017. The primary effectiveness outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, and death, whereas the primary safety outcome was a composite of major bleeding within a year of DOAC vs warfarin initiation. Treatment groups were compared in an under-treatment analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting and Cox proportional hazards.

RESULTS

A total of 8899 included patients filled out a new oral anticoagulation therapy claim; 3335 for warfarin and 5564 for DOACs. Compared with warfarin, 15 mg and 20 mg rivaroxaban presented a similar effectiveness and safety composite risk. Apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a lower effectiveness composite risk [Hazard ratio (HR) 0.76; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.88] and a similar safety risk (HR 0.94; 95%CI: 0.66-1.35). Apixaban 2.5 mg was associated with a similar effectiveness composite (HR 1.00; 95%CI: 0.79-1.26) and a lower safety risk (HR 0.65; 95%CI: 0.43-0.99. Although, apixaban 5.0 mg was associated with a better effectiveness (HR 0.76; 95%CI: 0.65-0.88), but a similar safety risk profile (HR 0.94; 95%CI: 0.66-1.35). The observed improvement in the effectiveness composite for apixaban 5.0 mg was driven by a reduction in mortality (HR 0.61; 95%CI: 0.43-0.88).

CONCLUSION

In comparison with warfarin, rivaroxaban and apixaban appear to be effective and safe in AF patients with stage III CKD.

Prevalence of frailty among elderly patients with hip fracture in China: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Frailty is a clinical syndrome characterised by a reduced ability to adapt to external stressors owing to a reduced physiological reserve, which is caused by degeneration of multiple organ systems. Frailty is particularly prevalent among patients with hip fractures. Research on frailty in China started late; thus, evidence regarding the prevalence of frailty among older patients with hip fracture in China is scarce. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to systematically search for available data on the prevalence of frailty among older patients with hip fracture in China, assess the pooled prevalence of frailty and describe the association between frailty and clinical outcomes.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

We will systematically search electronic databases, including Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang data Database, to identify studies on the prevalence of frailty in older patients with hip fracture. Two reviewers will independently identify eligible studies according to defined inclusion criteria and critically appraise them using the Joanna Briggs Institute's standardised critical appraisal tool. Data will be analysed using Stata V.12.0.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval is not required as this review will only include data from published sources. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022265321.

Effectiveness and safety of low-dose versus standard-dose rivaroxaban and apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Low-dose direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use is quite prevalent in clinical practice, but evidence of its effectiveness and safety compared with high-dose DOAC in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains limited. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of low-dose and high-dose DOACs in patients with AF with similar baseline characteristics.

METHODS

We used a cohort of hospitalized patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of AF after discharge to the community, whose data were stored in the Quebec administrative databases, from 2011 to 2017. Older adults with AF newly prescribed with rivaroxaban (15 or 20 mg) or apixaban (2.5 mg or 5 mg) were classified as under treatment (UT) and intent to treat (ITT). We used an inverse probability treatment weighting study of new users of rivaroxaban and apixaban to address confounding by indication. The primary effectiveness outcome was ischemic stroke/systemic embolism (SE), while the primary safety outcome was major bleeding (MB). We used Cox proportional models to estimate the marginal hazard ratios (HRs).

FINDINGS

A total of 1,722 and 4,639 patients used low-dose and standard-dose rivaroxaban, respectively, while 3,833 and 6,773 patients used low-dose and standard-dose apixaban, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of comparative stroke/SE and MB between low-dose and standard-dose rivaroxaban, except for the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which was increased with the low dose in the UT analysis. For apixaban, no difference was found in the bleeding rates, but the risk of stroke/SE (HR: 1.95; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38-2.76) and death (HR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.46-2.70) were greater in the low-dose group than in the standard-dose group in the UT analysis. Similar results were observed for the ITT analysis.

CONCLUSION

No significant differences were observed in the effectiveness or safety outcome between low-dose and standard-dose rivaroxaban, except for AMI. However, low-dose apixaban was associated with a greater risk of stroke/SE and death without a reduction in the bleeding rates.

Trends of use and factors that determine the choice of oral anticoagulants in women and men with atrial fibrillation

The aim was to identify sex-specific factors linked with oral anticoagulant initiation in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation using administrative data from Quebec (Canada) between 2014 and 2017. Cohort entry defined as new users, that is, no claims in last 12 months, a cohort of 32 050 patients was stratified in two groups, that is, women and men. Multivariable regression models were used to identify factors of initiations for low- and standard-dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus warfarin, and low- versus standard-dose DOACs. In both sexes, warfarin initiation decreased and DOAC initiation increased, with year of initiation as major factors of DOACs use. In 2017, the increase was of 2- to 4-fold and 3- to 8-fold for low- and standard-dose DOACs (vs. warfarin), respectively. The proportion of patients starting on a low-dose DOAC was higher in women than men. Older age for both sexes and CHADS2 score ≥2 (only women) were major factors of low-dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban versus warfarin use. The only significant factor of standard-dose DOAC versus warfarin use was age of 65-79 for women or men treated with apixaban by 1.8- and 1.4-fold, respectively. Factors that made women and men less likely to receive a standard-dose DOAC versus warfarin were higher CHADS2 (for dabigatran and rivaroxaban), HAS-BLED and frailty scores, prior coronary disease, major bleeding, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) status. The choice of a low- versus standard-dose DOAC was mainly driven by age and CKD, and higher CHADS2 score (for dabigatran and apixaban) for both sexes.

Polypharmacy and risk of mortality among patients with heart failure following hospitalization: a nested case-control study

Heart failure (HF) is associated with morbidity, rehospitalization and polypharmacy. The incidence rate of mortality in HF patients with polypharmacy is poorly studied. We examine the association of polypharmacy with mortality risk in incident hospitalized HF patients with a primary diagnosis after discharge from the hospital using Quebec administrative databases, Canada from 1999 to 2015. Polypharmacy, cardiovascular (CV) polypharmacy and non-CV polypharmacy were respectively defined as exposure to ≥ 10 drugs, ≥ 5 CV drugs and ≥ 5 non-CV drugs within three months prior to the case or the control selection date. We conducted a nested case-control study to estimate rate ratios (RR) of all-cause mortality using a multivariate conditional logistic regression during one-year of follow-up. We identified 12,242 HF patients with a mean age of 81.6 years. Neither CV polypharmacy (RR  0.97, 95%CI 0.82-1.15) nor non-CV polypharmacy (RR  0.93, 95%CI 0.77-1.12) were associated with lower mortality risk. However, all polypharmacy (RR 1.31, 95%CI 1.07-1.61) showed an association with mortality risk. Myocardial infarction, valvular disease, peripheral artery disease, diabetes, major bleeding, chronic kidney disease, high comorbidity score, high Frailty score, hydralazine and spironolactone users were associated with increasing mortality risk, ranging from 15 to 61%, while use of angiotensin II inhibitors, beta-blockers, statins, anticoagulant, and antiplatelets were associated with lower risk, ranging from 23 to 32%.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Low-Dose Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Aims: Observational studies of various dose levels of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) found that a high proportion of patients received a dose lower than the target dose tested in randomized controlled trials. There is a need to compare low-dose DOACs with warfarin or other DOACs on effectiveness and safety. Methods: Using administrative data from Quebec province, Canada, we built a cohort of new warfarin or DOAC users discharged from hospital between 2011 and 2017. We determined CHA₂DS₂-VASc and HAS-BLED scores, and comorbidities for 3-year prior cohort entry. The primary effectiveness endpoint was a composite of ischemic stroke/systemic embolism (SE), and secondary outcomes included a safety composite of major bleeding (MB) events and effectiveness composite (stroke/SE, death) at 1-year follow-up. We contrasted each low-dose DOAC with warfarin or other DOACs as references using inverse probability of treatment weighting to estimate marginal Cox hazard ratios (HRs). Results: The cohort comprised 22,969 patients (mean age: 80-86). We did not find a significant risk reduction for the stroke/SE primary effectiveness endpoint for DOACs vs. warfarin; however, we observed a significantly lower risk for low-dose dabigatran vs. warfarin (HR [95%CI]: 0.59 [0.42-0.81]) for effectiveness composite, mainly due to a lower death rate. The differences in effectiveness and safety composites between low-dose rivaroxaban vs. warfarin were not significant. However, low-dose apixaban had a better safety composite (HR: 0.68 [0.53-0.88]) vs. warfarin. Comparisons of dabigatran vs. apixaban showed a lower risk of stroke/SE (HR: 0.53 [0.30-0.93]) and a 2-fold higher risk of MB. The MB risk was higher for rivaroxaban than for apixaban (HR: 1.58 [1.09-2.29]). Conclusions: The results of this population-based study suggest that low-dose dabigatran has a better effective composite than warfarin. Compared with apixaban, low-dose dabigatran had a better effectiveness composite but a worse safety profile. Low-dose apixaban had a better safety composite than warfarin and other low-dose DOACs. Given that the comparative effectiveness and safety seem to vary from one DOAC to another, pharmacokinetic data for specific populations are now warranted.

The utilization of primary healthcare services among frail older adults - findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The impact of frailty on primary healthcare service use, especially general practice office visits and remote contacts, is currently unknown. Further, little is known about the association of frailty with physiotherapy contacts.

METHODS

We examined the utilization of primary healthcare services among 1064 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study between the years 2013 and 2017. Frailty was assessed based on Fried's frailty criteria at mean age of 71.0 (2.7 SD) years in clinical examinations between the years 2011 and 2013. General practice office visits and remote contacts, the total number of general practice contacts, physiotherapy contacts, and the total number of primary healthcare contacts were extracted from a national Finnish register. We analyzed the data with negative binomial regression models.

RESULTS

Of the 1064 participants, 37 were frail (3.5%) and 427 pre-frail (40.1%); 600 non-frail (56.4%) served as a reference group. Frailty was associated with general practice office visits (IRR 1.31, 95% CI=1.01-1.69), physiotherapy contacts (IRR 2.97, 95% CI=1.49-5.91) and the total number of primary healthcare contacts (IRR 1.41, 95% CI=1.07-1.85). Pre-frailty predicted the use of general practice remote contacts (IRR 1.39, 95% CI=1.22-1.57) and the total number of general practice contacts (IRR 1.25, 95% CI=1.12-1.40).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty increases the overall primary healthcare service use whereas pre-frailty is associated with the use of general practice services, especially remote contacts. Primary healthcare needs measures to adapt healthcare services based on the needs of rapidly increasing number of pre-frail and frail older adults and should consider preventative interventions against frailty.

The utilization of specialized healthcare services among frail older adults in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The association between frailty and specialized healthcare utilization is not well studied. We, therefore, examined the utilization of specialized healthcare services among frail Finnish older adults.

METHODS

A sub-sample of 1060 participants of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were followed prospectively for specialized healthcare utilization from nationwide registers between the years 2013 and 2017. The participants' frailty status was assessed according to Fried's criteria at a mean age of 71.0 (2.7 SD) years between the years 2011 and 2013. A negative binomial regression model was used to examine the association between frailty and the total number of visits, emergency visits, outpatient appointments separating the first outpatient appointments and the follow-up appointments, inpatient care including elective and non-elective hospital admissions and the total number of hospital days. We also calculated average length of stay (ALOS) and used the Kruskal-Wallis test to examine the differences between the groups.

RESULTS

After adjusting for covariates, frailty was significantly associated with the number of specialized healthcare visits (IRR 1.50, 95% CI = 1.04-2.15) and all subgroups of visits apart from follow-up outpatient appointments. Frailty was particularly strongly associated with the number of hospital days (IRR 5.24, 95% CI = 2.35-11.7) and notably with emergency visits (IRR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.45-3.51) and hospital admissions (IRR 2.23, 95% CI = 1.39-3.56). Frail older adults had also higher ALOS compared to non-frail participants (p = .009).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty increases the use of most specialized healthcare services. Preventative interventions against frailty are needed to decrease the burden on specialized healthcare systems.KEY MESSAGEFrailty is associated with the utilization of most specialized healthcare services, the most expensive part of the healthcare in most high-income countries.The association of frailty with inpatient care is particularly strong.Preventative interventions against frailty are needed to decrease the burden on specialized healthcare systems.

Frailty status changes are associated with healthcare utilization and subsequent mortality in the elderly population

BACKGROUND

This study determined (1) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up is associated with healthcare utilization and evaluated (2) whether a change in frailty status after a 1 year follow up and health care utilization are associated with all-cause mortality in a sample of Taiwan population.

METHODS

This work is a population-based prospective cohort study involving residents aged ≥65 years in 2009. A total of 548 elderly patients who received follow-ups in the subsequent year were included in the current data analysis. Fried frailty phenotype was measured at baseline and 1 year. Information on the outpatient visits of each specialty doctor, emergency care utilization, and hospital admission during the 2 month period before the second interview was collected through standardized questionnaires administered by an interviewer. Deaths were verified by indexing to the national database of deaths.

RESULTS

At the subsequent 1 year follow-up, 73 (13.3%), 356 (64.9%), and 119 (21.7%) elderly participants exhibited deterioration, no change in status, and improvement in frailty states, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis showed the high risk of any type of outpatient use (odds ratios [OR] 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-3.71) among older adults with worse frailty status compared with those who were robust at baseline and had unchanged frailty status after 1 year. After multivariate adjustment, participants with high outpatient clinic utilization had significantly higher mortality than those with low outpatient clinic visits among unchanged pre-frail or frail (hazard ratios [HR] 2.79, 95% CI: 1.46-5.33) and frail to pre-frail/robust group (HR 9.32, 95% CI: 3.82-22.73) if the unchanged robustness and low outpatient clinic visits group was used as the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS

The conditions associated with frailty status, either after 1 year or at baseline, significantly affected the outpatient visits and may have increased medical expenditures. Combined change in frailty status and number of outpatient visits is related to increased mortality.

Comparative effectiveness and safety of high-dose rivaroxaban and apixaban for atrial fibrillation: A propensity score-matched cohort study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Observational studies assessing direct oral anticoagulant (DOACs) dosage in atrial fibrillation (AF) reported that a lower proportion of patients received high-dose DOACs compared to those in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Effectiveness and safety of high-dose DOACs relative to apixaban in a real-world AF population need to be addressed. The aim is to assess comparative effectiveness and safety of high-dose rivaroxaban relative to apixaban.

DESIGN

We conducted a cohort study. Setting We built a cohort of patients hospitalized and discharged in community with a primary or secondary AF diagnosis from 2011-2017 using Quebec administrative databases (Med-Echo and RAMQ). Patients Cohort entry was defined as the first OAC claim in new users of high-dose rivaroxaban and apixaban, with no OAC claims in the prior year. Intervention To compare effectiveness and safety of high-dose rivaroxaban to apixaban. Measurement We ascertained patient demographics, comorbidities, CHA2DS2-VASc and HASBLED scores and Charlson score within 3 years prior to cohort entry. Primary effectiveness and safety were a composite of ischemic stroke/systemic thrombosis, death, myocardial infarction, and of intracranial bleeding (ICH), extracranial major bleeding, in the first year following drug initiation. We conducted propensity score matching and estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for outcomes using Cox proportional hazard models. All the analyses were conducted to account for competing risks. Main results The cohort consisted of 4,632 and 6,771 patients received high-dose rivaroxaban and apixaban, respectively. High-dose rivaroxaban users were younger with a mean age of 73.2 years, presented less associated comorbidities and had lower CHA2DS2-VASc scores compared to apixaban. High-dose rivaroxaban at the intention to treat was associated with a higher risk of stroke/SE/death (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.40) and worse composite effectiveness (HR 1.21: 1.05-1.40); under treatment exposure, those values were at HR (1.66: 1.21-2.29) and HR (1.58:1.19-2.10), respectively. And, rivaroxaban presented a less favorable safety profile relative to apixaban. Conclusion In this study, composite effectiveness and safety varied between rivaroxaban and apixaban. High-dose apixaban was observed to have a better effectiveness and safety.

Preoperative Risk Index Among Patients Undergoing Thyroid or Parathyroid Surgery

Importance

Frailty represents a multidimensional syndrome that is increasingly being used to stratify risk in surgical patients. Current frailty risk models are limited among those undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Objective

To develop and compare preoperative risk indices to determine factors associated with short-term major postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study evaluated 154 895 patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program who underwent thyroid or parathyroid surgery from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016.

Exposures

Preoperative frailty-related and surgical factors from a derivation cohort were evaluated using simple and multiple logistic regression. Variables potentially associated with postoperative adverse events were subsequently combined into a personalized preoperative Cervical Endocrine Surgery Risk Index (CESRI) and compared with existing risk models using the validation cohort.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Composite variable of any major postoperative adverse event, including death, within 30 days of surgery.

Results

Of the 154 895 operations reviewed, 3318 patients (2.1%; 2296 women and 1022 men; mean [SD] age, 56.1 [15.6] years) experienced a major postoperative adverse event, with 163 deaths (0.1%). Older age (age, ≥80 years: odds ratio [OR], 2.35; 95% CI, 1.74-3.13), inpatient status (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 3.08-4.11), male sex (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.29-1.71), current tobacco smoking (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.48), dyspnea (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.91), recent weight loss (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.23-2.78), functional dependence (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 2.05-3.69), obesity (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.10-1.60), anemia (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.82-2.52), leukocytosis (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.38-2.14), hypoalbuminemia (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.56-2.23), use of anticoagulation (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.64-2.81), and length of surgery (>4 hours: OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 2.37-3.59) were independently associated with major adverse events or death on multiple regression analysis (C statistic, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.76-0.78). The area under the curve of the CESRI to determine major adverse events, including death, using the validation cohort was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.61-0.64), with a sensitivity of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.64-0.68) and specificity of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.65-0.66). The CESRI outperformed other risk models for determining adverse events (CESRI vs 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index: delta C index, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.09-0.13; CESRI vs American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System: delta C index, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.03-0.07; CESRI vs American College of Surgeons Risk Calculator: delta C index, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.03; and CESRI vs Head and Neck Surgery Risk Index: delta C index, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.03-0.06).

Conclusions and Relevance

This study suggests that the CESRI is able to determine major postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

PRISMA-7 and Risk for Short-Term Adverse Events in Older Patients Visiting the Emergency Department: Results of a Large Observational and Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The "Program of Research on the Integration of Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy" (PRISMA-7) is the reference tool for the assessment of older patients visiting the emergency departments (EDs) in the province of Quebec (Canada). This study aimed to examine 1) whether the PRISMA-7 high-risk level for disabilities was associated with the length of stay in ED and in hospital, and hospital admission; and 2) performance criteria (i.e., sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV], likelihood ratios [LR]) of the PRISMA-7 high-risk level for the length of stay in ED and hospital, and hospital admission in older ED users.

METHODS

A total of 12,983 older ED users of the Jewish General Hospital (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) were recruited in this observational and prospective cohort study. All enrolled participants had a PRISMA-7 assessment upon their arrival at ED. The length of stay in ED and hospital, and hospital admission were used as outcomes.

RESULTS

A PRISMA-7 high-risk level was associated with an increased length of stay in ED and hospital (β ≥2.1 with P≤0.001 and Hazard ratio (HR)= ≥1.2 with P≤0.001) as well as in hospital (HR=1.27 with P≤0.001) in patients on a stretcher. All performance criteria were low (i.e., <0.78). Patients with a PRISMA-7 high-risk level were discharged significantly later from ED and hospital compared to those with low-risk level (P=0.001).

INTERPRETATION

A PRISMA-7 high-risk level was associated with a long length of stay in ED and hospital, and hospital admission in patients on a stretcher but had poor performance criteria for these adverse events, suggesting that it cannot be used as a prognostic tool in older ED users.

Fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults presenting to the emergency department for minor injuries: Impact on return to the ED and future falls

OBJECTIVES

1) To characterize mild, moderate, and severe fear of falling in older emergency department (ED) patients for minor injuries, and 2) to assess whether fear of falling could predict falls and returns to the ED within 6 months of the initial ED visit.

METHODS

This study was part of the Canadian Emergency and Trauma Initiative (CETI) prospective cohort (2011-2016). Patients ages ≥ 65, who were independent in their basic daily activities and who were discharged from the ED after consulting for a minor injury, were included. Fear of falling was measured by the Short Falls Efficacy Scale International (SFES-I) in order to stratify fear of falling as mild (SFES-I = 7-8/28), moderate (SFES-I = 9-13/28), or severe (SFES-I = 14-28/28). Many other physical and psychological characteristics where collected. Research assistants conducted follow-up phone interviews at 3 and 6 months' post-ED visit, in which patients were asked to report returns to the ED.

RESULTS

A total of 2,899 patients were enrolled and 2,009 had complete data at 6 months. Patients with moderate to severe fear of falling were more likely to be of ages ≥ 75, female, frailer with multiple comorbidities, and decreased mobility. Higher baseline fear of falling increased the risk of falling at 3 and 6 months (odds ratio [OR]-moderate-fear of falling: 1.63, p < 0.05, OR-severe-fear of falling 2.37, p < 0.05). Fear of falling positive predictive values for return to the ED or future falls were 7.7% to 17%.

CONCLUSION

Although a high fear of falling is associated with increased risk of falling within 6 months of a minor injury in older patients, fear of falling considered alone was not shown to be a strong predictor of return to the ED and future falls.