title: Balance score and a history of falls in hospital predict recurrent falls in the 6 months following stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate predictors of recurrent falls in adults who return to community dwelling after stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five adults with stroke (mean age +/- standard deviation, 68.1+/-12.8y).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline measures included balance, gait speed, muscle strength and tone, activity level, hemianopia, visual contrast sensitivity, hemineglect, medication use, fear of falling, and depression. Participants kept a 6-month prospective falls diary after discharge from rehabilitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five (45%) participants reported falling, 12 had recurrent falls (> or =2 falls), and 13 fell once. Participants who fell recurrently had histories of falling during hospitalization or rehabilitation, poorer physical function measures, were taking more medications, and were more likely to have hemineglect than participants who fell once or did not fall (P<.05). A history of falling in the hospital or during rehabilitation, combined with poor balance (either Berg Balance Scale score <49 or step test score <7), predicted recurrent falls with sensitivity and specificity values greater than 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Falls are a common occurrence after stroke. The predictive model developed can be used to identify people who are likely to have recurrent falls in the 6 months after stroke rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia. shylie.mackintosh@unisa.edu.au
authors.forename: Shylie F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Mackintosh
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Goldie
authors.forename: Elsie G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Culham
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation