Incidence and characteristics of falls in hospitalized patients: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of falls and to know their characteristics in terms of location, temporality and injuries produced, and to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients who suffer falls. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a level 2 hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Falls in hospitalized patients between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were studied. The incidence rate of falls per 1000 days of stay was estimated considering a Poisson distribution. The characteristics of the falls are described: temporality, injuries produced, location of the injuries and prescribed drugs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who suffered a fall were registered. A univariate analysis was performed to compare the results by gender. All data were obtained from the electronic medical record. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two falls were studied, which represent a rate of 1.61 falls per 1,000 days of stay. Men, older age, and admission to a medical specialty showed a significantly higher fall rate. The patients who suffered a fall had a mean age of 77.5 years (SD: 11.7), and had a median of 12.5 drugs prescribed (IQR: 9.25-15). Of the falls, 63.6% did not present any injury. Difference in gender was only found in the situation in which the fall occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Our data report an incidence of falls similar to other institutions in our environment. The profile of the patient who suffers a fall is an older man, admitted under the charge of a medical specialty, with longer hospital stay, with associated comorbidity and polymedicated, without an obvious temporal feature.

Incidencia y características de las caídas de pacientes hospitalizados: estudio de cohortes / Incidence and characteristics of falls in hospitalized patients: A cohort study

Objetivo: Estimar la incidencia de caídas y conocer sus características en cuanto a localización, temporalidad y lesiones producidas, y analizar las características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes que sufren caídas. Método: Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional de cohortes retrospectivo, en un hospital de nivel 2 del Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Se estudiaron las caídas de pacientes hospitalizados entre el 1 de julio de 2018 y el 30 de junio de 2019. Se estimó la tasa de incidencia de caídas por 1.000 días de estancia considerando una distribución de Poisson. Se describen las características de las caídas: temporalidad, lesiones producidas, localización de las lesiones y pauta de fármacos. Se registraron características sociodemográficas y clínicas de los pacientes que sufrieron una caída. Se realizó un análisis univariante para comparar los resultados por sexos. Todos los datos se han obtenido de registros de la historia clínica electrónica. Resultados: Se estudiaron 132 caídas, que suponen una tasa de 1,61 caídas por 1.000 días de estancia. Hombres, edad avanzada e ingreso a cargo de una especialidad médica presentaron una tasa de caída significativamente mayor. Los pacientes que sufrieron una caída tienen una edad media de 77,5 años (DE 11,7), y tuvieron pautados una mediana de 12,5 fármacos (RIC 9,25-15). El 63,6% de las caídas no presentan lesión alguna. Solo se encontró diferencia en cuanto al género en la situación en la que se produce la caída. Conclusiones: Nuestros datos notifican una incidencia de caídas similar a la de centros de nuestro entorno. El perfil del paciente que sufre una caída es el de un hombre mayor, ingresado a cargo de una especialidad médica, con estancias hospitalarias más largas, con alguna comorbilidad y polimedicado, sin una asociación temporal evidente.(AU)

Objective: To estimate the incidence of falls and to know their characteristics in terms of location, temporality and injuries produced, and to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients who suffer falls. Methodology: A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a level 2 hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Falls in hospitalized patients between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were studied. The incidence rate of falls per 1,000 days of stay was estimated considering a Poisson distribution. The characteristics of the falls are described: temporality, injuries produced, location of the injuries and prescribed drugs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who suffered a fall were registered. A univariate analysis was performed to compare the results by gender. All data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results: One hundred and thirty-two falls were studied, which represent a rate of 1.61 falls per 1,000 days of stay. Men, older age, and admission to a medical specialty showed a significantly higher fall rate. The patients who suffered a fall had a mean age of 77.5 years (SD 11.7), and had a median of 12.5 drugs prescribed (IQR: 9.25-15). Of the falls, 63.6% did not present any injury. Difference in gender was only found in the situation in which the fall occurred. Conclusions: Our data report an incidence of falls similar to other institutions in our environment. The profile of the patient who suffers a fall is an older man, admitted under the charge of a medical specialty, with longer hospital stay, with associated comorbidity and polymedicated, without an obvious temporal feature.(AU)