Study of transitions of clinical symptoms before incidences of falls by older inpatients with dementia

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the time courses of intellectual function and behavioral symptoms before falls, using data from repeated measurements, by older inpatients with dementia. [Methods] Subjects were 51 individuals with dementia, aged 65 years or older, in hospitals during June 2007. Repeated measurements were administer weekly using Karasawa's clinical criterion of elderly persons' Intelligence and Dementia Behavior Disturbance scale, over a 6-month period. Changes of function of fallers during the 4 weeks prior to falls were compared with those of non-fallers. Analyses were conducted for the respective groups divided by ambulation status. [Results] In the ambulatory group, the intellectual function of fallers worsened significantly prior to falling. In the non-ambulatory group, both intellectual function and behavioral symptoms of fallers worsened significantly. [Conclusion] Fixed point observation with short measurement intervals of intellectual function and behavioral symptoms can be useful for fall prediction in hospitalized patients with dementia.