Characteristics of fall-related hip fractures in community-dwelling elderly patients according to cognitive status.
OBJECTIVE
Falls are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older people who have cognitive impairment. The present study compared the characteristics of community-dwelling patients, with and without previous diagnosis of dementia, hospitalized because of a hip fracture.


METHODS
1024 consecutive patients >65 years (77.2% women, mean age 82.9 yrs) admitted for fall-related hip fracture to six Spanish hospitals during a 20-month period were included. Sociodemographic data, geriatric assessment and characteristics (location, time and possible cause: intrinsic, extrinsic or combined risk factor) of falls leading to hip fracture were evaluated.


RESULTS
A total of 154 (15%) patients had a previous diagnosis of dementia. Analysis showed a greater number of previous falls before admission for hip fracture in demented patients. Moreover, in non-demented patients, we found both a predominance of falls during the day and of extrinsic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Some differences were observed, according to the cognitive status of elderly patients suffering a hip fracture due to a fall. A high percentage of dementia patients had suffered repeated falls prior to the fall-related hip fracture.
Formiga
Francesc
F
Geriatric Unit, Internal Medicine Service, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, 08907 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. fformiga@csub.scs.es
Lopez-Soto
Alfonso
A
Duaso
Enric
E
Ruiz
Domingo
D
Chivite
David
D
Perez-Castejon
Juan Manel
JM
Navarro
Margarita
M
Pujol
Ramon
R
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006620:Hip Fractures; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors