Relationship Between Frailty and Risk of Falls Among Hospitalised Older People with Cardiac Conditions: An Observational Cohort Study

Background/Objetive: Population ageing promotes the occurrence of cardio-vascular diseases, frailty, and risk of falls.To determine the relationship between frailty, risk of falls, and length of hospital stay in hospitalised older adults with cardiac condi-tions. Methods: Observational study of a cohort of patients aged ≥60 years admitted to a cardiology unit (2022–2024). Frailty was assessed using the Fried Frailty Phenotype, risk of falls using the J.H. Downton scale, and dependency level using the Barthel index. Clin-ical variables and anthropometric measurements were analysed alongside length of stay. Statistical analysis: quantitative variables were expressed as means and standard devia-tions, and categorical variables as frequencies. Associations were analysed using Stu-dent’s t-tests, chi-squared tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests for comparisons of three or more groups. Relationships between frailty, risk of falls, and other variables were examined us-ing univariate binary logistic regression, with a 95% confidence interval and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 144 patients were recruited (mean age=73.08 years [SD=7.95]) (women=33.30%). Frailty was associated with waist circumference in men (p=0.01) and diastolic blood pressure in women (p=0.05). Frailty was further linked to Downton scores (odds ratio [OR]=1.565; 95% CI:1.156–2.120; p=0.004), age (OR=1.114; 95% CI:1.058–1.173; p=0.000), Barthel index (OR=0.902; 95% CI:0.854–0.953; p=0.000), and length of stay (OR=1.101; 95% CI:1.021–1.186; p=0.012).Conclusions: Frailty ap-pears to be related to Downton scores and impacts the length of hospital stay in older adults hospitalised with cardiac conditions.