title: Risk factors associated with falls in adult patients after stroke living in the community: baseline data from a stroke cohort in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals with stroke have a high risk of falling, and their fall predictors may differ from those of other populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate fall frequency and identify factors related to fall occurrence in a sample of patients with stroke residing in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data were collected from 150 consecutive stroke patients with independent gait, and the following scales were applied: modified Barthel Index (mBI), Timed Up & Go Test (TUG), and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Univariate analysis was performed; variables with possible association (P < .1) were included in a logistic regression model. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to identify the best cutoff point for TUG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Falls occurred in 37% of patients. In multivariate analysis, right hemisphere injury (odds ratio [OR], 2.621; 95% CI, 1.196-5.740; P = .016), time in TUG (OR, 1.035 for every increase in 1 second; 95% CI, 1.003-1.069; P = .034), and longer time since stroke onset (OR, 1.012 for every month increase; 95% CI, 1.002-1.021; P = .015) remained predictors. When we grouped individuals according to affected cerebral hemisphere, both hemispheres had similar accuracy, but TUG cutoff point was lower in individuals with right- versus left-hemisphere lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with poor TUG performance, longer times since stroke onset, and right-hemisphere injury have particularly high fall rates, and TUG cutoff points for fall prediction vary according to cerebral hemisphere.
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elen Beatriz
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maiana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mayra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Myllane-Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laís M G B
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Publica, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iara
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maso
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Diagnosis, Bahia Medical School, Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Alberto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Stroke Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jamary
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oliveira-Filho
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: TUG; cerebrovascular accident; functional capacity; functional mobility; risk of falling