Muscle mass and muscle strength are associated with pre- and post-hospitalization falls in older male inpatients: a longitudinal cohort study

Jeanine M. Van Ancum, Mirjam Pijnappels, Nini H. Jonkman, Kira Scheerman, Sjors Verlaan, Carel G.M. Meskers, Andrea B. Maier*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low muscle mass and strength are highly prevalent in inpatients. It is acknowledged that low muscle mass and strength are associated with falls in community-dwelling older adults, but it is unknown if these muscle measures are also associated with falls in a population of older inpatients. This study aimed to investigate the association between muscle measures and pre- and post-hospitalization falls in older inpatients.

METHODS: An inception cohort of patients aged 70 years and older, admitted to an academic teaching hospital, was included in this study. Muscle mass and hand grip strength were measured at admission using bioelectrical impedance analysis and handheld dynamometry. Pre-hospitalization falls were dichotomized as having had at least one fall in the six months prior to admission. Post-hospitalization falls were dichotomized as having had at least one fall during the three months after discharge. Associations were analysed with logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 378 inpatients (mean age, SD: 79.7, 6.4 years). Fifty per cent of female and 41% of male patients reported at least one fall prior to hospitalization. Post-hospitalization, 18% of female and 23% of male patients reported at least one fall. Lower muscle mass was associated with post-hospitalization falls, and lower hand grip strength was associated with both pre- and post-hospitalization falls in male, but not in female, patients.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the likely involvement of muscle mass and strength in the occurrence of pre- and post-hospitalization falls in a population of older inpatients, but only in males.

Original languageEnglish
Article number116
Pages (from-to)1-7
Number of pages7
JournalBMC Geriatrics
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 May 2018

Funding

This study was supported by the seventh framework program MYOAGE (HEALTH-2007-2.4.5-10); European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (No 689238 and No 675003); and Nutricia Research, Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition, The Netherlands. These funding sources were not involved in the study design, data collection, management, analysis, interpretation of the data, or in writing of the manuscript.

FundersFunder number
Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition
Nutricia Research
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme689238, 675003
seventh framework program MYOAGEHEALTH-2007-2.4.5-10

    Keywords

    • Accidental Falls
    • Aged
    • Hospitalization
    • Muscle strength
    • Sarcopenia

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