社區高齡者肌少症與跌倒風險關聯性之橫斷面研究

Association between Sarcopenia and Fall Risk among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

目的：高齡跌倒造成之傷害已被認為是主要的公共衛生問題，增加醫療支出與死亡率，本研究旨在探討高齡族群肌少症與跌倒風險之關聯性，並提供跌倒的可能預測因子，以預先篩檢出高風險族群，防範跌倒傷害之發生。

方法：我們採用橫斷性研究針對2018-2021年屏東某地區醫院門診病患進行周全性量表評估。收集量表中個人基本資料、疾病史、藥物使用、肌少症評估與跌倒風險評估等資料進行分析，來瞭解高齡族群跌倒之影響因素。

結果：跌倒風險程度在女性、獨居者、老年疾病累積分數較高者、查爾森共病症指數平均分數較高者、用藥數量較多者、工具性日常生活活動分數較低者、認知功能分數較低者與肌少症平均分數較高者，其跌倒風險比例顯著較高。

結論：在校正其他影響跌倒風險因子後，用藥數量較多者與肌少症平均分數較高者，可做為跌倒風險程度之預測因子。

 

Purposes: Falls among older adults pose a major public health concern, contributing to increased healthcare costs and mortality. This study aimed to examine the association between sarcopenia and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults and to identify potential predictors of falls to facilitate early screening and prevention of fall-related injuries.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on data from comprehensive geriatric assessments administered to outpatients at a regional hospital in Pingtung between 2018 and 2021. The collected data included demographic characteristics, medical history, medication use, sarcopenia assessments, and fall risk evaluations. These variables were analyzed to identify factors associated with fall risk among older adults.

Results: A higher risk of falls was significantly associated with being female, living alone, higher cumulative geriatric illness scores, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, polypharmacy, lower instrumental activities of daily living scores, lower cognitive function scores, and higher sarcopenia scores.

Conclusion: After adjusting for confounding variables, polypharmacy and higher sarcopenia scores were identified as significant predictors of increased fall risk among older adults.