TY - JOUR
T1 - Incidence of falls and fall-related injuries and their predictive factors in frail older persons with cancer
T2 - a multicenter study
AU - Kenis, Cindy
AU - Decoster, Lore
AU - Flamaing, Johan
AU - Debruyne, Philip R.
AU - De Groof, Inge
AU - Focan, Christian
AU - Cornélis, Frank
AU - Verschaeve, Vincent
AU - Bachmann, Christian
AU - Bron, Dominique
AU - Van den Bulck, Heidi
AU - Schrijvers, Dirk
AU - Langenaeken, Christine
AU - Specenier, Pol
AU - Jerusalem, Guy
AU - Praet, Jean Philippe
AU - De Cock, Jessie
AU - Lobelle, Jean Pierre
AU - Wildiers, Hans
AU - Milisen, Koen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: Falls and fall-related injuries are a major public health problem. Data on falls in older persons with cancer is limited and robust data on falls within those with a frailty profile are missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and predictive factors for falls and fall-related injuries in frail older persons with cancer. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis from data previously collected in a large prospective multicenter observational cohort study in older persons with cancer in 22 Belgian hospitals (November 2012–February 2015). Patients ≥70 years with a malignant tumor and a frailty profile based on an abnormal G8 score were included upon treatment decision and evaluated with a Geriatric Assessment (GA). At follow-up, data on falls and fall-related injuries were documented. Results: At baseline 2141 (37.2%) of 5759 included patients reported at least one fall in the past 12 months, 1427 patients (66.7%) sustained an injury. Fall-related data of 3681 patients were available at follow-up and at least one fall was reported by 769 patients (20.9%) at follow-up, of whom 289 (37.6%) fell more than once and a fall-related injury was reported by 484 patients (62.9%). Fear of falling was reported in 47.4% of the patients at baseline and in 55.6% of the patients at follow-up. In multivariable analysis, sex and falls history in the past 12 months were predictive factors for both falls and fall-related injuries at follow-up. Other predictive factors for falls, were risk for depression, cognitive impairment, dependency in activities of daily living, fear of falling, and use of professional home care. Conclusion: Given the high number of falls and fall-related injuries and high prevalence of fear of falling, multifactorial falls risk assessment and management programs should be integrated in the care of frail older persons with cancer. Further studies with long-term follow-up, subsequent impact on cancer treatment and interventions for fall prevention, and integration of other important topics like medication and circumstances of a fall, are warranted. Trial registration: B322201215495.
AB - Background: Falls and fall-related injuries are a major public health problem. Data on falls in older persons with cancer is limited and robust data on falls within those with a frailty profile are missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and predictive factors for falls and fall-related injuries in frail older persons with cancer. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis from data previously collected in a large prospective multicenter observational cohort study in older persons with cancer in 22 Belgian hospitals (November 2012–February 2015). Patients ≥70 years with a malignant tumor and a frailty profile based on an abnormal G8 score were included upon treatment decision and evaluated with a Geriatric Assessment (GA). At follow-up, data on falls and fall-related injuries were documented. Results: At baseline 2141 (37.2%) of 5759 included patients reported at least one fall in the past 12 months, 1427 patients (66.7%) sustained an injury. Fall-related data of 3681 patients were available at follow-up and at least one fall was reported by 769 patients (20.9%) at follow-up, of whom 289 (37.6%) fell more than once and a fall-related injury was reported by 484 patients (62.9%). Fear of falling was reported in 47.4% of the patients at baseline and in 55.6% of the patients at follow-up. In multivariable analysis, sex and falls history in the past 12 months were predictive factors for both falls and fall-related injuries at follow-up. Other predictive factors for falls, were risk for depression, cognitive impairment, dependency in activities of daily living, fear of falling, and use of professional home care. Conclusion: Given the high number of falls and fall-related injuries and high prevalence of fear of falling, multifactorial falls risk assessment and management programs should be integrated in the care of frail older persons with cancer. Further studies with long-term follow-up, subsequent impact on cancer treatment and interventions for fall prevention, and integration of other important topics like medication and circumstances of a fall, are warranted. Trial registration: B322201215495.
KW - Cancer
KW - Fall-related injuries
KW - Falls
KW - Frailty
KW - Geriatric assessment
KW - Older persons
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142235770&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12877-022-03574-7
DO - 10.1186/s12877-022-03574-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 36402961
AN - SCOPUS:85142235770
SN - 1471-2318
VL - 22
JO - BMC Geriatrics
JF - BMC Geriatrics
IS - 1
M1 - 877
ER -