Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of falls and risk factors for falls in
persons who had a stroke. DESIGN: Telephone survey. SETTING: Tertiary university
hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who had a stroke and were admitted to
the rehabilitation unit between April 2006 and July 2008 were listed and
contacted by telephone from February 2009 to August 2009. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASUREMENTS: Information obtained from the interviews, which were performed 20
+/- 8 months after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, included demographic
data, information about falls, and current ambulatory function. After the
telephone interview, medical records of participants during admission were
reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 404 enrolled patients, 330 were included in the
analysis. Of the 330 patients, 62 (19%) had a history of a fall after stroke
onset. Of 222 ambulatory patients, 51 patients (23%) fell. Falls frequently
occurred in winter, and most falls occurred indoors (70%). Twenty-nine percent of
patients experienced repeated falls. About half of those who fell were injured,
and 11% sustained fractures. Patients who had a stroke and had severe deficits
showed a lower probability of poststroke falls. In a subgroup analysis of
patients with ambulatory capacity, left-sided hemiplegia/hemiparesis was
associated with an increased risk of falls. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a
high incidence of poststroke falls after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.
More caution should be taken for patients with ambulatory ability and left
hemiplegia/hemiparesis because they are more vulnerable to falls after a stroke.
An increased prevalence of fear of falling in people who fell suggests that an
appropriate intervention to reduce fear of falling should be provided to patients
who have had a stroke.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS