Risk of falls in Alzheimer's disease: a prospective study
- PMID: 16093593
- DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.44.717
Risk of falls in Alzheimer's disease: a prospective study
Abstract
Objective: Falls are common in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Identification of the potential risk factors and developing preventive strategies for falls will have a significant impact in maintaining the quality of life in AD.
Patients: Clinical follow-up of 124 (74.1+/-6.1 years, range 62-88) mild to moderate AD patients in an outpatient memory clinic.
Methods: Postural sway, cognitive function, use of neuroleptics, severity of periventricular and deep white matter lesions, and the presence or absence of silent brain infarctions on magnetic resonance imaging were assessed at baseline.
Results: A total of 104 patients (84%) completed the study. Fall events were confirmed in 42.3% (44/104). After adjustment for age, gender, and cognitive status, a high grade of periventricular white matter lesions (odds ratio 8.7 [95%CI 1.5 to 51.8], p = 0.017) and neuroleptic drug use (odds ratio 3.5 [95%CI 1.2 to 10.5], p = 0.027) were significantly associated with an increased risk of falls.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that periventricular white matter lesions and the use of neuroleptics may be related to falls in mild to moderate AD. A comprehensive risk management of brain ischemia as well as the use of the smallest efficacious dose of neuroleptics in the treatment of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of AD should be recommended to help reduce the risk of unexpected falls.
Similar articles
-
Regional white matter lesions predict falls in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2014 Jan;15(1):36-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.11.004. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2014. PMID: 24359699
-
Sedative Load in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Mild-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: Longitudinal Relationships with Adverse Events, Delirium and Falls.Drugs Aging. 2020 Nov;37(11):829-837. doi: 10.1007/s40266-020-00800-y. Epub 2020 Sep 14. Drugs Aging. 2020. PMID: 32924095
-
Falls and age in patients with Alzheimer's disease.J Nerv Ment Dis. 2004 Aug;192(8):570-2. doi: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000135498.96431.ef. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2004. PMID: 15387161
-
[Importance of vascular aspects in Alzheimer's disease].Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi. 2006 Jul;43(4):449-52. doi: 10.3143/geriatrics.43.449. Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi. 2006. PMID: 16937930 Review. Japanese.
-
[Falls in patients with dementia].Clin Calcium. 2008 Nov;18(11):1588-93. Clin Calcium. 2008. PMID: 18974447 Review. Japanese.
Cited by
-
Risk factors for falls in community-dwelling older people with mild cognitive impairment: a prospective one-year study.PeerJ. 2022 May 30;10:e13484. doi: 10.7717/peerj.13484. eCollection 2022. PeerJ. 2022. PMID: 35663527 Free PMC article.
-
Association among cognitive function, physical fitness, and health status in older women.J Exerc Rehabil. 2022 Feb 24;18(1):34-42. doi: 10.12965/jer.2142716.358. eCollection 2022 Feb. J Exerc Rehabil. 2022. PMID: 35356139 Free PMC article.
-
Modelling falls in Parkinson's disease and normal ageing in mice using a complex motor task.Brain Neurosci Adv. 2022 Mar 22;6:23982128221088794. doi: 10.1177/23982128221088794. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2022. PMID: 35341069 Free PMC article.
-
History of Falls, Dementia, Lower Education Levels, Mobility Limitations, and Aging Are Risk Factors for Falls among the Community-Dwelling Elderly: A Cohort Study.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 4;18(17):9356. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179356. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021. PMID: 34501947 Free PMC article.
-
Risk Factors for Falls in Patients with Alzheimer Disease: A Retrospective Study of Balance, Cognition, and Visuospatial Ability.Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2021 Mar 22;11(1):58-63. doi: 10.1159/000514285. eCollection 2021 Jan-Apr. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2021. PMID: 33976693 Free PMC article.
