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ObjectiveTo determine the effectiveness of an individually-tailored multifactorial intervention in reducing falls among at risk older adult fallers in a multi-ethnic, middle-income nation in South-East Asia.DesignPragmatic, randomized-controlled trial.SettingEmergency room, medical outpatient and primary care clinic in a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 65 years and above with two or more falls or one injurious fall in the past 12 months.InterventionIndividually-tailored interventions, included a modified Otago exercise programme, HOMEFAST home hazards modification, visual intervention, cardiovascular intervention, medication review and falls education, was compared against a control group involving conventional treatment.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was any fall recurrence at 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were rate of fall and time to first fall.ResultsTwo hundred and sixty-eight participants (mean age 75.3 ±7.2 SD years, 67% women) were randomized to multifactorial intervention (n = 134) or convention treatment (n = 134). All participants in the intervention group received medication review and falls education, 92 (68%) were prescribed Otago exercises, 86 (64%) visual intervention, 64 (47%) home hazards modification and 51 (38%) cardiovascular intervention. Fall recurrence did not differ between intervention and control groups at 12-months [Risk Ratio, RR = 1.037 (95% CI 0.613–1.753)]. Rate of fall [RR = 1.155 (95% CI 0.846–1.576], time to first fall [Hazard Ratio, HR = 0.948 (95% CI 0.782–1.522)] and mortality rate [RR = 0.896 (95% CI 0.335–2.400)] did not differ between groups.ConclusionIndividually-tailored multifactorial intervention was ineffective as a strategy to reduce falls. Future research efforts are now required to develop culturally-appropriate and affordable methods of addressing this increasingly prominent public health issue in middle-income nations.Trial registrationISRCTN Registry no. ISRCTN11674947

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ObjectivesFalls represent major health issues within the older population. In low/middle-income Asian countries, falls in older adults remain an area which has yet to be studied in detail. Using data from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR), we have estimated the prevalence of falls among older persons in an urban population, and performed ethnic comparisons in the prevalence of falls.DesignCross-sectional analysis was carried out using the first wave data from MELoR which is a longitudinal study.SettingUrban community dwellers in a middle-income South East Asian country.Participants1565 participants aged ≥55 years were selected by simple random sampling from the electoral rolls of three parliamentary constituencies.Outcome measuresConsenting participants from the MELoR study were asked the question ‘Have you fallen down in the past 12 months?’ during their computer-assisted home-based interviews. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare the prevalence of falls among various ethnic groups.ResultsThe overall estimated prevalence of falls for individuals aged 55 years and over adjusted to the population of Kuala Lumpur was 18.9%. The estimated prevalence of falls for the three ethnic populations of Malays, Chinese and Indian aged 55 years and over was 16.2%, 19.4% and 23.8%, respectively. Following adjustment for ethnic discrepancies in age, gender, marital status and education attainment, the Indian ethnicity remained an independent predictor of falls in our population (relative risk=1.45, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.85).ConclusionThe prevalence of falls in this study is comparable to other previous Asian studies, but appears lower than Western studies. The predisposition of the Indian ethnic group to falls has not been previously reported. Further studies may be needed to elucidate the causes for the ethnic differences in fall prevalence.

Background A barrier to gastrostomy feeding exists among Asian clinicians and caregivers due to negative perceptions regarding complications. We compared clinical and nutrition outcomes in older dysphagic Asian patients with nasogastric (NG) or gastrostomy tube feeding using a pragmatic study design. Methods The choice of enteral tube access was determined by managing clinicians and patients/caregivers. Comparisons of tube feeding methods were made during a 4‐month period, adjusting statistically for inherent confounders. Results A total of 102 participants (NG: n = 52, gastrostomy: n = 50) were recruited over 2 years from 2013 to 2015. Subjects on long‐term NG tube feeding were older (82.67 ± 7.15 years vs 76.88 ± 7.37 years; P < .001) but both groups had similar clinical indications (stroke: 63.5% NG vs 54% gastrostomy; P = .33). After adjustment for confounders, gastrostomy feeding was associated with fewer tube‐related complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06–0.60) and better complication‐free survival rate (aOR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.12–0.89) at 4‐month follow‐up. Anthropometric and biochemical nutrition parameters improved significantly in both groups at 4 months, but no significant differences were observed at the end of the study. Conclusion Gastrostomy feeding is associated with a greater 4‐month complication‐free survival and lower tube‐related complications compared with long‐term NG feeding in older Asians with dysphagia. However, no differences in nutrition outcomes were observed between NG and gastrostomy feeding at 4 months.

Older individuals with recurrent and injurious falls have significantly longer PR and QT intervals and larger SBP reduction with posture change as compared to non-fallers, and these are not explained by the presence of dizziness, presyncope, or syncope. SBP cut-off of ≥30mmHg considered for postural measurements using continuous BP monitors, the significance of this value needs to be evaluated.

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