Fall Frequency, Risk Factors, and Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
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Background
Falls are an important source of morbidity in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The evolution of falls and related outcomes over time remains unknown.
Objectives
To compare the risk of falls and outcomes between PD, prodromal alpha-synucleinopathy, and healthy controls (HC); estimate fall frequency and outcomes across PD progression; and characterize clinical features and outcomes across faller subgroups in PD. Methods: We analyzed clinical features and fall-related outcomes from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative across PD, prodromal alpha-synucleinopathy, and HC cohorts. We estimated the yearly rates of rare and frequent falls by time since diagnosis. We used data from unique PD participants to construct cross-sectional groups of never, rare, or frequent fallers. Clinical variables included motor, cognitive, behavioral, sleep, and autonomic measures. Outcomes included injuries and healthcare utilization. Linear and logistic regression models tested associations while adjusting for age, sex, and years since diagnosis. The Benjamini-Hochberg correction controlled for multiple comparisons.
Results
We included 3,100 participants (937 PD, 1,926 prodromal alpha-synucleinopathy, 237 HC) across 6,977 visits. PD participants had higher odds of falling than prodromal (OR=1.72, 95% CI [1.51-1.94]) and HC (OR=3.45, 95% CI [2.70-4.46]). They were also more likely to report fall-related injuries and healthcare use than prodromal (OR=1.79, 95% CI [1.49-2.14] and OR=1.87, 95% CI [1.52-2.29], respectively) and HC (OR=2.77, 95% CI [1.94-4.10] and OR=2.99, 95% CI [1.96-4.77], respectively). Falls were recorded in 15.5% of visits at diagnosis and 69.2% after 14 years. Falls increased across Neuronal Synuclein Disease-Integrated Staging System (NSD-ISS) stages. Fall-related injuries and healthcare utilization increased with disease duration and NSD-ISS stages. Among unique PD participants, frequent fallers had longer disease duration, higher NSD-ISS, and worse clinical profiles. Female PD participants were more likely to fall than males (46.1% versus 34.9%, p=0.002) despite having a milder clinical profile.
Discussion
Falls and related morbidity increase with disease duration and NSD-ISS. Risk is driven by sex and motor and non-motor factors, supporting a multifactorial model of fall susceptibility. The strong link between fall frequency and NSD-ISS supports its clinical relevance. Fall frequency may serve as a practical marker of disease progression and inform fall prevention strategies in PD.
