{"title":"Association Between Frailty and Head Impact Location After Ground-Level Fall in Older Adults","authors":"Xavier Dubucs MD, MSC , Éric Mercier MD, MSC , Valérie Boucher MSC , Samuel Lauzon , Frederic Balen MD , Sandrine Charpentier MD, PHD , Marcel Emond MD, MSC","doi":"10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.01.005","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are highly prevalent in older adults, and ground-level falls are the most frequent mechanism of injury.</p></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><p>This study aimed to assess whether frailty was associated with head impact location among older patients who sustained a ground-level fall–related, mild TBI. The secondary objective was to measure the association between frailty and intracranial hemorrhages.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We conducted a planned sub-analysis of a prospective observational study in two urban university-affiliated emergency departments (EDs). Patients 65 years and older who sustained a ground-level fall–related, mild TBI were included if they consulted in the ED between January 2019 and June 2019. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Patients were stratified into the following three groups: robust (CFS score 1–3), vulnerable-frail (CFS score 4–6), and severely frail (CFS score 7–9).</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>A total of 335 patients were included; mean ± SD age was 86.9 ± 8.1 years. In multivariable analysis, frontal impact was significantly increased in severely frail patients compared with robust patients (odds ratio [OR] 4.8 [95% CI 1.4–16.8]; <em>p</em> = 0.01). Intracranial hemorrhages were found in 6.2%, 7.5%, and 13.3% of robust, vulnerable-frail, and severely frail patients, respectively. The OR of intracranial hemorrhages was 1.24 (95% CI 0.44–3.45; <em>p</em> = 0.68) in vulnerable-frail patients and 2.34 (95% CI 0.41–13.6; <em>p</em> = 0.34) in those considered severely frail.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This study found an association between the level of frailty and the head impact location in older patients who sustained a ground-level fall. Our results suggest that head impact location after a fall can help physicians identify frail patients. Although not statistically significant, the prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage seems to increase with the level of frailty.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":16085,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","volume":"66 5","pages":"Pages e606-e613"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0736467924000076/pdfft?md5=5537b8c00800181d98729b35d0f0d7d4&pid=1-s2.0-S0736467924000076-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Emergency Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0736467924000076","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"EMERGENCY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are highly prevalent in older adults, and ground-level falls are the most frequent mechanism of injury.
Objective
This study aimed to assess whether frailty was associated with head impact location among older patients who sustained a ground-level fall–related, mild TBI. The secondary objective was to measure the association between frailty and intracranial hemorrhages.
Methods
We conducted a planned sub-analysis of a prospective observational study in two urban university-affiliated emergency departments (EDs). Patients 65 years and older who sustained a ground-level fall–related, mild TBI were included if they consulted in the ED between January 2019 and June 2019. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Patients were stratified into the following three groups: robust (CFS score 1–3), vulnerable-frail (CFS score 4–6), and severely frail (CFS score 7–9).
Results
A total of 335 patients were included; mean ± SD age was 86.9 ± 8.1 years. In multivariable analysis, frontal impact was significantly increased in severely frail patients compared with robust patients (odds ratio [OR] 4.8 [95% CI 1.4–16.8]; p = 0.01). Intracranial hemorrhages were found in 6.2%, 7.5%, and 13.3% of robust, vulnerable-frail, and severely frail patients, respectively. The OR of intracranial hemorrhages was 1.24 (95% CI 0.44–3.45; p = 0.68) in vulnerable-frail patients and 2.34 (95% CI 0.41–13.6; p = 0.34) in those considered severely frail.
Conclusions
This study found an association between the level of frailty and the head impact location in older patients who sustained a ground-level fall. Our results suggest that head impact location after a fall can help physicians identify frail patients. Although not statistically significant, the prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage seems to increase with the level of frailty.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Emergency Medicine is an international, peer-reviewed publication featuring original contributions of interest to both the academic and practicing emergency physician. JEM, published monthly, contains research papers and clinical studies as well as articles focusing on the training of emergency physicians and on the practice of emergency medicine. The Journal features the following sections:
• Original Contributions
• Clinical Communications: Pediatric, Adult, OB/GYN
• Selected Topics: Toxicology, Prehospital Care, The Difficult Airway, Aeromedical Emergencies, Disaster Medicine, Cardiology Commentary, Emergency Radiology, Critical Care, Sports Medicine, Wound Care
• Techniques and Procedures
• Technical Tips
• Clinical Laboratory in Emergency Medicine
• Pharmacology in Emergency Medicine
• Case Presentations of the Harvard Emergency Medicine Residency
• Visual Diagnosis in Emergency Medicine
• Medical Classics
• Emergency Forum
• Editorial(s)
• Letters to the Editor
• Education
• Administration of Emergency Medicine
• International Emergency Medicine
• Computers in Emergency Medicine
• Violence: Recognition, Management, and Prevention
• Ethics
• Humanities and Medicine
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine
• AAEM Medical Student Forum
• Book and Other Media Reviews
• Calendar of Events
• Abstracts
• Trauma Reports
• Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine