The following is a summary of “Risk of falls is associated with 30-day mortality among older adults in the emergency department,” published in the May 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Hamilton, et al.

Falls among older adults are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. For a study, researchers sought to investigate the relationship between fall risk assessment in the emergency department (ED) and 30-day mortality in older adults.

An observational cohort study was conducted on adults aged ≥ 75 years presenting to an academic ED, where fall risk was assessed using the Memorial Emergency Department Fall Risk Assessment Tool (MEDFRAT), a validated ED-specific screening tool. Fall risk was categorized as low (0–2 points), moderate (3–4 points), or high (≥ 5) risk. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CIs were calculated.

The study included 941 patients with assessed fall risk in the ED. The median age was 83.7 years, with 45.6% male, 75.6% living in private residences, and 62.7% admitted. Mortality at 30 days was four times higher in the high-fall-risk group compared to the low-risk group (11.8% vs 3.1%; HR 4.00, 95% CI 2.18 to 7.34, P < 0.001). While the moderate fall risk group showed nearly double the mortality rate of the low-risk group (6.0% vs 3.1%), the difference was not statistically significant (HR 1.98, 95% CI 0.91 to 4.32, P = 0.087).

ED fall risk assessments were associated with 30-day mortality in older adults. Screening for fall risk may aid in identifying individuals at risk for health deterioration, potentially facilitating timely interventions.

Reference: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735675724000822