Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia
Gregory Reardon,1 Naushira Pandya,2 Robert A Bailey31Informagenics, LLC and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, USA; 2Department of Geriatrics, Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA; 3Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Horsham, PA...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2012-10-01
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| Series: | Clinical Interventions in Aging |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/falls-in-nursing-home-residents-receiving-pharmacotherapy-for-anemia-peer-reviewed-article-CIA |
| _version_ | 1818751540683341824 |
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| author | Reardon G Pandya N Bailey RA |
| author_facet | Reardon G Pandya N Bailey RA |
| author_sort | Reardon G |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gregory Reardon,1 Naushira Pandya,2 Robert A Bailey31Informagenics, LLC and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, USA; 2Department of Geriatrics, Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA; 3Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Horsham, PA, USAPurpose: Falls are common among nursing home residents and have potentially severe consequences, including fracture and other trauma. Recent evidence suggests anemia may be independently related to these falls. This study explores the relationship between the use of anemia-related pharmacotherapies and falls among nursing home residents.Methods: Forty nursing homes in the United States provided data for analysis. All incidents of falls over the 6-month post-index follow-up period were used to identify the outcomes of falls (≥1 fall) and recurrent falls (>1 fall). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between falls and recurrent falls with each of the anemia pharmacotherapies after adjusting for potential confounders.Results: A total of 632 residents were eligible for analysis. More than half (57%) of residents were identified as anemic (hemoglobin < 12 g/dL females, or <13 g/dL males). Of anemic residents, 50% had been treated with one or more therapies (14% used vitamin B12, 10% folic acid, 38% iron, 0.3% darbepoetin alfa [DARB], and 1.3% epoetin alfa [EPO]). Rates of falls/recurrent falls were 33%/18% for those receiving vitamin B12, 40%/16% for folic acid, 27%/14% for iron, 38%/8% for DARB, 18%/2% for EPO, and 22%/11% for those receiving no therapy. In the adjusted models, use of EPO or DARB was associated with significantly lower odds of recurrent falls (odds ratio = 0.06; P = 0.001). Other significant covariates included psychoactive medication use, age 75–84 years, age 85+ years, worsened balance score, and chronic kidney disease (P < 0.05 for all).Conclusion: Only half of the anemic residents were found to be using anemia therapy (vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron). There is little evidence to support an association between the use of vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron in reducing the rates of falls and recurrent falls in nursing homes. Reduced odds of recurrent falls were observed for DARB or EPO users.Keywords: anemia, fall, hemoglobin, long-term care, nursing home, pharmacotherapy |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:37:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0aadc2d044584d7d8bc06afade284d96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-1998 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:37:12Z |
| publishDate | 2012-10-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Interventions in Aging |
| spelling | doaj.art-0aadc2d044584d7d8bc06afade284d962022-12-21T21:20:50ZengDove Medical PressClinical Interventions in Aging1178-19982012-10-01Volume 739740711199Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemiaReardon GPandya NBailey RAGregory Reardon,1 Naushira Pandya,2 Robert A Bailey31Informagenics, LLC and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, Columbus, OH, USA; 2Department of Geriatrics, Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA; 3Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC, Horsham, PA, USAPurpose: Falls are common among nursing home residents and have potentially severe consequences, including fracture and other trauma. Recent evidence suggests anemia may be independently related to these falls. This study explores the relationship between the use of anemia-related pharmacotherapies and falls among nursing home residents.Methods: Forty nursing homes in the United States provided data for analysis. All incidents of falls over the 6-month post-index follow-up period were used to identify the outcomes of falls (≥1 fall) and recurrent falls (>1 fall). Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between falls and recurrent falls with each of the anemia pharmacotherapies after adjusting for potential confounders.Results: A total of 632 residents were eligible for analysis. More than half (57%) of residents were identified as anemic (hemoglobin < 12 g/dL females, or <13 g/dL males). Of anemic residents, 50% had been treated with one or more therapies (14% used vitamin B12, 10% folic acid, 38% iron, 0.3% darbepoetin alfa [DARB], and 1.3% epoetin alfa [EPO]). Rates of falls/recurrent falls were 33%/18% for those receiving vitamin B12, 40%/16% for folic acid, 27%/14% for iron, 38%/8% for DARB, 18%/2% for EPO, and 22%/11% for those receiving no therapy. In the adjusted models, use of EPO or DARB was associated with significantly lower odds of recurrent falls (odds ratio = 0.06; P = 0.001). Other significant covariates included psychoactive medication use, age 75–84 years, age 85+ years, worsened balance score, and chronic kidney disease (P < 0.05 for all).Conclusion: Only half of the anemic residents were found to be using anemia therapy (vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron). There is little evidence to support an association between the use of vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron in reducing the rates of falls and recurrent falls in nursing homes. Reduced odds of recurrent falls were observed for DARB or EPO users.Keywords: anemia, fall, hemoglobin, long-term care, nursing home, pharmacotherapyhttps://www.dovepress.com/falls-in-nursing-home-residents-receiving-pharmacotherapy-for-anemia-peer-reviewed-article-CIAanemiahemoglobinpharmacotherapyfalllong-term carenursing home |
| spellingShingle | Reardon G Pandya N Bailey RA Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia Clinical Interventions in Aging anemia hemoglobin pharmacotherapy fall long-term care nursing home |
| title | Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| title_full | Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| title_fullStr | Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| title_short | Falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| title_sort | falls in nursing home residents receiving pharmacotherapy for anemia |
| topic | anemia hemoglobin pharmacotherapy fall long-term care nursing home |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/falls-in-nursing-home-residents-receiving-pharmacotherapy-for-anemia-peer-reviewed-article-CIA |
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