Risk of fall in patients with COPD

• Published in: Thorax Vol. 73; no. 11; pp. 1079 - 1080
• Main Authors: Hakamy, Ali, Bolton, Charlotte E, Gibson, Jack E, McKeever, Tricia M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.11.2018
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body mass index; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Falls; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health risk assessment; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Older people; Primary Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Factors; Time Factors; United Kingdom - epidemiology; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; copd epidemiology
• ISSN: 0040-6376; 1468-3296; 1468-3296
• DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2017-211008

A matched cohort study was conducted to determine the incidence of falls in patients following a diagnosis of COPD using a UK primary care database. 44 400 patients with COPD and 175 545 non-COPD subjects were identified. The incidence rate of fall per 1000 person-years in patients with COPD was higher (44.9; 95% CI 44.1 to 45.8) compared with non-COPD subjects (24.1; 95% CI 23.8 to 24.5) (P<0.0001). Patients with COPD were 55% more likely to have an incident record of fall than non-COPD subjects (adjusted HR, 1.55; 95% CI 1.50 to 1.59). The greater falls risk in patients with COPD needs consideration and modifiable factors addressed.