|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
Item
#3
Older
Women With Diabetes Have a Higher Risk of Falls
Can
improving diabetes treatment reduce the risk for falls?
The
object of the study was to determine whether older women with
diabetes have an increased risk of falls and whether
known risk factors for falls account for any increased
risk.
This
prospective cohort study included 9,249 women
 67
years of age enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic
Fractures. Diabetes was determined by questionnaire at
baseline. Physical performance was measured at the second examination.
Subsequently, falls were ascertained every 4 months by
postcard.
The
results showed a total of 629 (6.8%) women had diabetes, including
99 who used insulin. During an average of 7.2 years, 1,640
women (18%) fell more than once a year. Diabetes,
stratified by insulin use, was associated with an
increased risk of falling more than once a year
(age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.68 [95% CI 1.37–2.07] for
non–insulin-treated diabetes; age-adjusted OR 2.78 [1.82–4.24]
for insulin-treated diabetes). In the first 2 years of
follow-up, women with diabetes were not more likely to
fall than women without diabetes (44 vs. 42%; P = 0.26),
but they had more falls (3.1 vs. 2.4; P < 0.01).
Women with diabetes were more likely to have other risk
factors for falls, which appeared to account for the
increased risk of falls associated with
non–insulin-treated diabetes (adjusted OR 1.18 [0.87–1.60])
but not insulin-treated diabetes (adjusted OR 2.76
[1.52–5.01]).
It
was concluded that older women with diabetes have an increased
risk of falling, partly because of the increased rates of
known fall risk factors, and may benefit from
interventions to prevent falls. Further research is
needed to determine whether diabetes treatment reduces
fall risk. Diabetes
Care 25:1749-1754, 2002
|
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
