title: [Analysis of hip-fracture falls in the elderly].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the circumstances associated with falls resulting in hip fracture in the elderly, and risk factors for this kind of fall.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12 month observational study of patients over 65 years, admitted for hip fracture resulting from a fall to the General University Hospital of Albacete.
  
  
  METHODS
  demographic data, circumstances of fall, type of fracture, previous falls, associated diseases, regular drug treatment and mental status, collected from medical records and interviews. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed, which included, comparison of means (t test), comparison of proportions (χ(2)), odds ratio and corresponding 95% confidence intervals, and logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 312 patients were included with a mean age 81.68 years (range, 65-99), of which 74.3% (232) were women. Only 35 patients (11,2%) lived in an institution, 212 (68%) had not had a fall during previous six months, and 116 patients (37.2%) had cognitive impairment. Falls occurred indoors (189 patients, 63.2%), with only 14% (41) during the night. Most of falls were related to extrinsic factors (31.5% tripping, slipping 24.1%; n=257). Patients had previous diseases in a 96% (300) of cases, with the most common being hypertension (177 patients, 59%) and diabetes (72, 24%). Drugs most frequently taken were anti-platelets (82, 31.9%), antihypertensives, diuretics (78, 30.4%), oral hypoglycaemic agents (41, 16%), anxiolytics (37, 14.4%) and antidepressants (35, 13.6%). The prior independence for walking on the street appears as a protective factor to fall indoors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample, falls resulting in hip fracture occurred commonly in elderly people without previous falls, while at home, at a time of increased activity, and by extrinsic factors.
authors.affiliation: Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: María Delirio
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Sánchez
authors.forename: María Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Córcoles-Jiménez
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: del Egido-Fernández
authors.forename: Ascensión
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villada-Munera
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Candel-Parra
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno-Moreno
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors