Risk of falls is associated with 30-day mortality among older adults in the emergency department

Falls in older adults correlate with heightened morbidity and mortality. Assessing fall risk in the emergency department (ED) not only aids in identifying candidates for prevention interventions but may also offer insights into overall mortality risk. We sought to examine the link between fall risk...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of emergency medicine 2024-05, Vol.79, p.122-126
Main Authors: Hamilton, Matthew P., Bellolio, Fernanda, Jeffery, Molly M., Bower, Susan M., Palmer, Allyson K., Tung, Ericka E., Mullan, Aidan F., Carpenter, Christopher R., Oliveira J. e Silva, Lucas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental falls
Accidental Falls - prevention & control
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Delirium
Emergency medical care
Emergency medical services
Emergency Service, Hospital
Fall
Falls
Female
Fracture
Frailty
Geriatrics
Health risks
Hospitalization
Hospitals
Humans
Injuries
Intervention
Major trauma
Male
Morbidity
Mortality
Mortality risk
Observational studies
Older adult
Older people
Patients
Physiology
Primary care
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Risk groups
Statistical analysis
Trauma
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:Falls in older adults correlate with heightened morbidity and mortality. Assessing fall risk in the emergency department (ED) not only aids in identifying candidates for prevention interventions but may also offer insights into overall mortality risk. We sought to examine the link between fall risk and 30-day mortality in older ED adults. Observational cohort study of adults aged ≥ 75years who presented to an academic ED and who were assessed for fall risk using the Memorial Emergency Department Fall Risk Assessment Tool (MEDFRAT), a validated, ED-specific screening tool. The fall risk was classified as low (0–2 points), moderate (3–4 points), or high (≥5) risk. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. A total of 941 patients whose fall risk was assessed in the ED were included in the study. Median age was 83.7 years; 45.6% were male, 75.6% lived in private residences, and 62.7% were admitted. Mortality at 30 days among the high fall risk group was four times that of the low fall risk group (11.8% vs 3.1%; HR 4.00, 95% CI 2.18 to 7.34, p 
ISSN:0735-6757
1532-8171
1532-8171
DOI:10.1016/j.ajem.2024.02.020