JAMDA
Volume 7, Issue 5 , Pages 287-293, June 2006

Anemia Increases Risk for Falls in Hospitalized Older Adults: An Evaluation of Falls in 362 Hospitalized, Ambulatory, Long-Term Care, and Community Patients

This work was presented, in part, at the Annual Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting in 2005. Dharmarajan TS, Avula S, Jayakrishnan L, Jospeh P, Talamati J, Karbasian M. Norkus EP. Mild anemia increases the risk of falls in hospitalized older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:S94.

  • T.S. Dharmarajan, MD, FACP, AGSF

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, NY
    • Division of Geriatrics, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, NY
    • University Hospital of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to T.S. Dharmarajan, MD, FACP, AGSF, 31 Pheasant Run, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
    • ,
  • Sai Avula, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Geriatrics, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, NY
    • University Hospital of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY
    • ,
  • Edward P. Norkus, PhD, FACN

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Research, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, NY
    • University Hospital of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY

published online 06 February 2006.

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between the presence of anemia and the occurrence of falls during hospitalization in ambulatory older adults from long-term care and community settings. All individuals were hospitalized for acute conditions not related to a fall.

Participants

Three hundred sixty-two hospitalized, ambulatory older (59–104 years) adults.

Measurements

Laboratory values (hemoglobin [Hb], hematocrit [Hct]), routine laboratory tests, pertinent medical history, and demographics.

Results

Ambulatory hospitalized patients who fell were compared to controls (no falls during hospitalization) of similar age (P = .283) and gender distribution (P = .554). Patients who fell had significantly lower Hb (P < .00005), lower Hct (P < .00005) and were more likely to be anemic (56% vs 38%, P = .001) than controls. A logistic regression model examined the effect of Hb level and anemia on falls and included the covariates of age, gender, place of residence, and race. The model described a 22% decreased risk of falls for every 1.0 g/dL increase in Hb (P < .0005) and an overall 1.9-fold increased risk of falls in anemic patients (P < .001). Patient age, gender, and place of residence were not related to the risk of falls during hospitalization.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a potentially important link between anemia and the risk of falls during hospitalization in ambulatory older patients. Further studies are needed to determine if the risk of falls can be modified by correction of anemia and to determine the applicability of these findings to older adults in different settings.

Keywords:  Anemia , hemoglobin , fall risk , older adults , falls

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 This study did not receive external funding. This study was internally funded as part of the Geriatric Medicine Fellowship program.

PII: S1525-8610(05)00627-4

doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2005.10.010

JAMDA
Volume 7, Issue 5 , Pages 287-293, June 2006

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