Malnutrition risk and hospital‐acquired falls in older adults: A cross‐sectional, multicenter study

Abstract

Aim To assess the relationship of malnutrition risk and in‐hospital falls in a patient group of older hospitalized patients (65–79 and ≥80 years). Methods A cross‐sectional, multicenter, point‐prevalence study was conducted in 68 Austrian hospitals with 3702 hospitalized older patients. The relationship between malnutrition risk and falls was analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses. Data were analyzed separately for two age groups, patients were aged 65–79 years (n = 2320) and ≥80 years (n = 1382). Results Prevalence of hospital‐acquired falls was 5.2%, and prevalence of risk of malnutrition was 24.3% (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool) and 16.2% (definition using body mass index and weight loss). The univariate analysis showed significant associations of malnutrition risk and in‐hospital falls for patients aged ≥80 years (odds ratio 2.1; 95% confidence interval 1.2–3.6) but not for patients aged 65–79 years. The multivariate logistic regression analysis did not show significant associations between malnutrition risk and hospital‐acquired falls. Conclusions The results of this study show that malnutrition risk is a predictor for in‐hospital falls in very old patients (≥80 years). In this patient group, the screening and assessment of nutritional status as well as nutritional interventions for the prevention/treatment of malnutrition risk should be considered as one important factor for successful fall prevention. Studies are necessary to assess the effect of nutritional interventions as part of a multifaceted fall‐prevention program. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 348–353.

Malnutrition at Admission Predicts In-Hospital Falls in Hospitalized Older Adults

“…The timing of diagnoses, length of hospital stay, and comorbidities might have influenced Lackoff et al's study results. Eglseer et al reported that in a multivariate analysis, in-hospital falls in older patients were not significantly associated with malnutrition [27]. However, their study examined in-hospital falls before assessing malnutrition.…”

Malnutrition in Hospitalized Old Patients: Screening and Diagnosis, Clinical Outcomes, and Management

“…Malnourished old patients are at a higher risk of falls in hospitals when compared with those with preserved nutritional status. In particular, the risk of falls increases up to 8.4% and 6.2% in geriatric and internal medicine wards, respectively, and the global fall rate rises up to 31.6% up to 39.5% in patients ≥80 years [65]. Old patients with malnutrition and independent activities of daily living (ADL) were recently reported with a 2.7 higher risk of in-hospital falls [66].…”

Reduzierter Muskelstatus und Muskelabbau bei geriatrischen Patient*innen

“…In einer Erhebung in Österreich bei Patient*innen über 65 Jahren liegt der Anteil von Patient*innen mit einem Mangelernährungsrisiko laut Screening bei 24,3 %. Dieses ist mit einem erhöhten Sturzrisiko in der Klinik assoziiert [3]. In einer britischen Erhebung bei zu Hause lebenden Senioren weisen 44,2 % ein hohes und 25,2 % ein mittleres Mangelernährungsrisiko auf [4], was für ein generell erhöhtes Risiko bei älteren Menschen spricht, auch abseits akuter und schwerer Erkrankungen.…”