In-Hospital Fall Risk Prediction by Objective Measurement of Lower Extremity Function in a High-Risk Population

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Neurology
• Patient Safety

Background:

• In-hospital falls pose a significant risk to patient safety, particularly in high-risk populations.
• Limited data exist on the association between physical performance and in-hospital falls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between physical performance, assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the incidence of in-hospital falls.
• To determine if SPPB is a useful tool for risk stratification of falls in a hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 1200 patients (median age 74 years) admitted to geriatric and neurology wards.
• Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was measured post-acute treatment.
• In-hospital falls were prospectively monitored using incident reports and electronic health records.

Main Results:

• Falls occurred in 8.4% of patients during a median hospital stay of 15 days.
• A significant inverse association was found between SPPB scores and in-hospital falls (adjusted OR for each 1-point decrease: 1.19).
• An SPPB score of 6 or lower was significantly associated with an increased risk of falls, improving risk prediction models.

Conclusions:

• The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score is inversely associated with the risk of in-hospital falls in high-risk patient populations.
• SPPB assessment is a valuable tool for accurate risk stratification of falls within hospital settings.
• Integrating SPPB into risk assessments can enhance the prediction of in-hospital falls.