title: Added value of a triaxial accelerometer assessing gait parameters to predict falls and mortality among nursing home residents: A two-year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gait impairment seems to be a risk factor for falls and mortality. Because gait change cannot be determined easily with classical clinical tests, some authors have suggested that it might be useful to use a gait-analysis system among elderly community-dwelling people.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of the present study was to determine the predictive value of a quantitative evaluation of the gait characteristics in nursing home residents for the occurrence of falls and death performed using a tri-axial accelerometer (Locométrix®).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred elderly nursing home residents (80 women and 20 men, mean age 86.4 ± 6.04 years) were included in this study with the aim to follow them for 2 years. Deaths and falls were systematically recorded. A quantitative evaluation of a 10-second walk was performed with a tri-axial accelerometer (Locometrix®). Demographic data (i.e age, sex, body mass index) and clinical data (i.e. fall risk evaluated by the Tinetti test) were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the two years of follow-up, 27 patients died. After adjustment on all potential confounding variables, only body mass index was significantly associated with the risk of mortality with an odds ratio of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.77-0.96, p=0.04). At the end of the study period, 440 falls had occurred (mean: 4.44 ± 6.79 falls per patient) but no single factors were independently associated with fall incidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that a quantitative gait analysis performed using a tri-axial accelerometer is not predictive of long-term falls and mortality among nursing home residents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buckinx
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaudart
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slomian
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maquet
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demonceau
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, CHU of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gillain
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department, CHU of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petermans
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Reginster
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bruyère
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Mortality; falls; nursing home; risk factors