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Prospective observational study to evaluate risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people: the role of cystatin C

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Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the role of balance and gait disorders, comorbidities and laboratory abnormalities in the occurrence of falls in an institutionalized elderly population.

Methods

We made a non-interventional, prospective, observational study in elderly institutionalized people. Comorbidities and information on treatments were obtained. Function and cognition were measured using the Katz Index, the Tinetti Balance and Gait, lower extremity function tests and the Mini-Mental test. At the inclusion, the analytical was made including cystatin C. Falls were recorded for 20 months after inclusion.

Results

Patients with falls were older (85 ± 7 vs. 82 ± 8, p = 0.04) and more often female (88 vs. 12 %, p = 0.01). Dyslipidemia, hypertension and antihypertensive treatment were associated with an increased risk of falls. Cystatin C was higher in patients with falls (0.96 ± 0.21 vs. 1.12 ± 0.29, p = 0.02). Functional tests showed differences in the Tinetti balance test (15 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3, p = 0.04) and lower extremity function balance test (2.8 ± 1.2 vs. 2.2 ± 1.2, p = 0.05). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were worse in patients with falls (22 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4, p = 0.01). Only female status (6.2, p = 0.03), the MMSE scores (1.2, p = 0.02) and cystatin C (5.3, p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for falls after logistic regression.

Conclusions

Female sex, cognitive impairment and cystatin C were risk factors for falls in non-dependent institutionalized elderly people.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio Medicina Interna, Hospital Santos Reyes Aranda de Duero, Burgos, Spain

    Verónica Centeno Peláez

  2. Residencia de Ancianos Parquesol, Valladolid, Spain

    Lourdes Ausín

  3. Centro de Rehabilitación y Lenguaje, Valladolid, Spain

    Marta Ruiz Mambrilla

  4. Unidad de Investigación, Hospital Universitario Río Hortgea, Valladolid, Spain

    Manuel Gonzalez-Sagrado

  5. Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, c/Dulzaina 2, 47012, Valladolid, Spain

    José Luis Pérez Castrillón

Authors
  1. Verónica Centeno Peláez
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  2. Lourdes Ausín
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  3. Marta Ruiz Mambrilla
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  4. Manuel Gonzalez-Sagrado
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  5. José Luis Pérez Castrillón
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to José Luis Pérez Castrillón.

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Peláez, V.C., Ausín, L., Mambrilla, M.R. et al. Prospective observational study to evaluate risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people: the role of cystatin C. Aging Clin Exp Res 27, 419–424 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0304-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0304-1

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