title: [Rationale, design and methodology of physical attributes identification of the fear of falling syndrome (FISTAC study)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify the physical determining factors of the Fear of Falling Syndrome (FoF) in older adults with a history of falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was conducted on 183 subjects older than 64 years with a fall in the previous year, with data collected from the geriatrics outpatient clinic of the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario from Albacete, Spain. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data, as well as comorbidity, drugs usually taken, functional status, physical function, frailty, cognitive and affective status were collected. Muscle mass was measured using bioimpedancy meter (BIA), and densitometry (DXA), strength with digital hand-held JAMAR dynamometer and with a Leg-press machine, muscle potency with a T-Force instrument, gait variability with the Gait-Rite instrument, and postural stability with the Neurocom Balance Master posturograph were also determined. An analysis was performed to determine if the FoF is associated with physical impairments adjusted for the study covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 140 subjects with FoF, and 43 without it. The mean age was 78.4 years, and 147 were women. Posturography could be measured in 182 participants, DXA in 117, BIA in 165, and muscle potency in 146. FoF was associated with female sex, frailty, depressed mood, social risk, muscle strength and power, physical function, number of drugs used, and orthostatic hypotension in the overall sample. After adjusting for sex, only frailty, depressed mood, and number of drugs remained associated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rationale, design, and methods of the FISTAC study are presented.
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esbrí Víctor
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huedo Rodenas
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Melisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López Utiel
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez Reig
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Reumatología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Herizo Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Reumatología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España.
authors.forename: Ginés
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sánchez Nievas
authors.affiliation: Geriatría, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España. Electronic address: pabizanda@sescam.jccm.es.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Abizanda Soler
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome
keywords: Fear of falling syndrome; Fragilidad; Frailty; Función Física; Physical function; Posturografía; Posturography; Sarcopenia; Síndrome de temor a caerse