Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial

Abstract Background The association between fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs, medications known to be associated with falls) and the number of falls among generally healthy and active community-dwelling older adults is understudied. Prior studies have focused on individual medication classes or hav...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino, Catherine K. Forster, Maud Wieczorek, E. John Orav, Reto W. Kressig, Bruno Vellas, Andreas Egli, Gregor Freystaetter, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, the DO-HEALTH Research Group
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05557-2
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846147397712871424
author Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino
Catherine K. Forster
Maud Wieczorek
E. John Orav
Reto W. Kressig
Bruno Vellas
Andreas Egli
Gregor Freystaetter
Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari
the DO-HEALTH Research Group
author_facet Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino
Catherine K. Forster
Maud Wieczorek
E. John Orav
Reto W. Kressig
Bruno Vellas
Andreas Egli
Gregor Freystaetter
Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari
the DO-HEALTH Research Group
author_sort Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The association between fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs, medications known to be associated with falls) and the number of falls among generally healthy and active community-dwelling older adults is understudied. Prior studies have focused on individual medication classes or have predominantly relied on retrospective assessments of falls. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between FRID use at baseline and the prospective incidence rates of total, injurious and recurrent falls in community-dwelling older adults. Methods This is a 3-year observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a randomized controlled trial, among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 70 years without major diseases at baseline. The main exposures were use of at least one FRID and multiple FRIDs (≥ 2 FRIDs) at baseline. The number of total falls (including high- and low-trauma falls, as well as injurious falls) over 3 years of follow-up was defined as the primary outcome, and the number of injurious and the number of recurrent total falls (≥ 2 falls), as the two separate secondary outcomes. To examine these associations, separate negative binomial regression models controlled for the fixed effects of treatment allocation in the DO-HEALTH trial, study site, fall in the last year, age, sex, BMI, and walking aid were used. Additionally, an offset of the logarithm of each participant’s time in the study was included in the models. Results A total of 2157 participants were included, with a baseline median age of 74.0 years, 61.7% of whom were women, and 41.9% having experienced a prior fall in the year preceding enrolment. At baseline, 908 (42.1%) participants used at least one FRID, and 351 (16.3%) reported multiple FRIDs use. Prospectively, over 3 years of follow-up, 3333 falls were reported by 1311 (60.8%) out of the 2157 participants. Baseline use of at least one FRID was significantly associated with increased incidence rates of total falls (incidence rate ratio (IRR) [95% Confidence Interval (CI)] = 1.13 [1.01–1.27]), injurious falls (IRR = 1.15 [1.02–1.29]), and recurrent falls (IRR = 1.12 [1.01–1.23]) over 3 years. These associations were most pronounced among users of multiple FRIDs, with increased incidence rates of total falls (IRR = 1.22 [1.05–1.42]), injurious falls (IRR = 1.33 [1.14–1.54]) and recurrent falls (IRR = 1.14 [1.02–1.29]). Conclusion Our results suggest that FRID use is associated with increased prospective incidence rates of total, injurious, and recurrent falls even among generally healthy older adults. Trial registration DO-HEALTH is registered as NCT01745263 on clinicaltrials.gov, with a registration date of 2012-12-06.
format Article
id doaj-art-32219e5e28c440809f77d926c8248e81
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2318
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Geriatrics
spelling doaj-art-32219e5e28c440809f77d926c8248e812024-12-01T12:43:43ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182024-11-0124111010.1186/s12877-024-05557-2Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trialCaroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino0Catherine K. Forster1Maud Wieczorek2E. John Orav3Reto W. Kressig4Bruno Vellas5Andreas Egli6Gregor Freystaetter7Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari8the DO-HEALTH Research GroupCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichDepartment of Biostatistics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public HealthUniversity Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix Platter, University of BaselGérontopôle de Toulouse, Institut du Vieillissement, Center Hospitalo- Universitaire de ToulouseCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichCentre on Aging and Mobility, University of ZurichAbstract Background The association between fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs, medications known to be associated with falls) and the number of falls among generally healthy and active community-dwelling older adults is understudied. Prior studies have focused on individual medication classes or have predominantly relied on retrospective assessments of falls. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between FRID use at baseline and the prospective incidence rates of total, injurious and recurrent falls in community-dwelling older adults. Methods This is a 3-year observational analysis of DO-HEALTH, a randomized controlled trial, among community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 70 years without major diseases at baseline. The main exposures were use of at least one FRID and multiple FRIDs (≥ 2 FRIDs) at baseline. The number of total falls (including high- and low-trauma falls, as well as injurious falls) over 3 years of follow-up was defined as the primary outcome, and the number of injurious and the number of recurrent total falls (≥ 2 falls), as the two separate secondary outcomes. To examine these associations, separate negative binomial regression models controlled for the fixed effects of treatment allocation in the DO-HEALTH trial, study site, fall in the last year, age, sex, BMI, and walking aid were used. Additionally, an offset of the logarithm of each participant’s time in the study was included in the models. Results A total of 2157 participants were included, with a baseline median age of 74.0 years, 61.7% of whom were women, and 41.9% having experienced a prior fall in the year preceding enrolment. At baseline, 908 (42.1%) participants used at least one FRID, and 351 (16.3%) reported multiple FRIDs use. Prospectively, over 3 years of follow-up, 3333 falls were reported by 1311 (60.8%) out of the 2157 participants. Baseline use of at least one FRID was significantly associated with increased incidence rates of total falls (incidence rate ratio (IRR) [95% Confidence Interval (CI)] = 1.13 [1.01–1.27]), injurious falls (IRR = 1.15 [1.02–1.29]), and recurrent falls (IRR = 1.12 [1.01–1.23]) over 3 years. These associations were most pronounced among users of multiple FRIDs, with increased incidence rates of total falls (IRR = 1.22 [1.05–1.42]), injurious falls (IRR = 1.33 [1.14–1.54]) and recurrent falls (IRR = 1.14 [1.02–1.29]). Conclusion Our results suggest that FRID use is associated with increased prospective incidence rates of total, injurious, and recurrent falls even among generally healthy older adults. Trial registration DO-HEALTH is registered as NCT01745263 on clinicaltrials.gov, with a registration date of 2012-12-06.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05557-2FallsFall risk-increasing drugsProspective studyLongitudinal studyCommunity-dwelling older adultsDO-HEALTH
spellingShingle Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino
Catherine K. Forster
Maud Wieczorek
E. John Orav
Reto W. Kressig
Bruno Vellas
Andreas Egli
Gregor Freystaetter
Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari
the DO-HEALTH Research Group
Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
BMC Geriatrics
Falls
Fall risk-increasing drugs
Prospective study
Longitudinal study
Community-dwelling older adults
DO-HEALTH
title Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
title_full Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
title_fullStr Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
title_full_unstemmed Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
title_short Association of fall risk-increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults: a 3-year prospective observational study of the DO-HEALTH trial
title_sort association of fall risk increasing drugs with falls in generally healthy older adults a 3 year prospective observational study of the do health trial
topic Falls
Fall risk-increasing drugs
Prospective study
Longitudinal study
Community-dwelling older adults
DO-HEALTH
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05557-2
work_keys_str_mv AT carolinedegodoirezendecostamolino associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT catherinekforster associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT maudwieczorek associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT ejohnorav associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT retowkressig associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT brunovellas associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT andreasegli associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT gregorfreystaetter associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT heikeabischoffferrari associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial
AT thedohealthresearchgroup associationoffallriskincreasingdrugswithfallsingenerallyhealthyolderadultsa3yearprospectiveobservationalstudyofthedohealthtrial