Is the FAB test associated with fall occurrence in older adults? A retrospective analysis of outpatient fall risk assessment.

Methods: We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of French older adults. Participants with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ≥ 24 were recruited from a fall clinic in a geriatrics department. We recorded history of falls in the preceding 6 months, as well as Timed Up and Go test and mobility assessment at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-up.

Results: We included 199 participants at baseline (mean age 83.1 years; 70.3% of females), of which 50.8% (101) had abnormal FAB scores (indicating executive impairment). Participants with executive impairment were more likely to have a history of falls. 125 and 96 participants completed 6- and 12-month follow-up visits, respectively. There was no association between abnormal FAB score at baseline and any or serious falls. Abnormal baseline FAB score was only associated with repeated (≥ 2) falls at 6 months, after adjusting for age, education, and polypharmacy (OR = 3.1 95% CI [1.0, 9.9]). Moreover, participants with abnormal FAB scores had significantly lower Timed Up and Go test scores.

Conclusion: Abnormal FAB score was associated with repeated falls at 6 months, but not with total incident falls during the follow-up period. Our results highlight the potential utility of FAB in fall risk assessment, particularly for repeated falls, but further studies are needed to clarify this association.