Prospective observational study to evaluate risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people: the role of cystatin C

Aim To evaluate the role of balance and gait disorders, comorbidities and laboratory abnormalities in the occurrence of falls in an institutionalized elderly population. Methods We made a non-interventional, prospective, observational study in elderly institutionalized people. Comorbidities and information on treatments were obtained. Function and cognition were measured using the Katz Index, the Tinetti Balance and Gait, lower extremity function tests and the Mini-Mental test. At the inclusion, the analytical was made including cystatin C. Falls were recorded for 20 months after inclusion. Results Patients with falls were older (85 ± 7 vs. 82 ± 8, p = 0.04) and more often female (88 vs. 12 %, p = 0.01). Dyslipidemia, hypertension and antihypertensive treatment were associated with an increased risk of falls. Cystatin C was higher in patients with falls (0.96 ± 0.21 vs. 1.12 ± 0.29, p = 0.02). Functional tests showed differences in the Tinetti balance test (15 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3, p = 0.04) and lower extremity function balance test (2.8 ± 1.2 vs. 2.2 ± 1.2, p = 0.05). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were worse in patients with falls (22 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4, p = 0.01). Only female status (6.2, p = 0.03), the MMSE scores (1.2, p = 0.02) and cystatin C (5.3, p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for falls after logistic regression. Conclusions Female sex, cognitive impairment and cystatin C were risk factors for falls in non-dependent institutionalized elderly people.