Author Identifier
Marc Sim
ORCID : 0000-0001-5166-0605
Jonathan Hodgson
ORCID : 0000-0001-6184-7764
Lauren Blekkenhorst
ORCID : 0000-0003-1561-9052
Nicola Bondonno
ORCID : 0000-0001-5905-444X
Catherine Bondonno
ORCID : 0000-0001-8509-439X
Joshua Lewis
ORCID : 0000-0003-1003-8443
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Atherosclerosis
Volume
328
First Page
153
Last Page
159
PubMed ID
34120736
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Institute for Nutrition Research / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
35692
Funders
National Health and Medical Research Council
Further funding information : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.05.003
Grant Number
NHMRC Numbers : 254627, 303169, 572604, 1159914, 1172987
Grant Link
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/254627
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/303169
Abstract
Backgrounds and aims: Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is associated with weaker grip strength, an established risk factor for fall-related hospitalizations. However, its association with long-term fall-related hospitalisations remains unknown. This study investigated the association between AAC and long-term fall-related hospitalizations in community-dwelling older women. Methods: Fall-related hospitalizations were obtained from linked data over 14.5-years in a prospective cohort of 1053 older women (mean age 75.0 ± 2.6 years). At baseline (1998/99), AAC was assessed from lateral spine images obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and scored using a semi-quantitative method (AAC24, range 0–24). The presence of any AAC was defined by AAC24 ≥ 1. Results: Over 14.5-years, 413 (39.2%) women experienced a fall-related hospitalization. In the multivariable-adjusted model, each unit increase in baseline AAC24 was associated with a 3% increase in relative hazards for a fall-related hospitalization (HR 1.03 95%CI, 1.01 to 1.07). Compared to women with no AAC, women with any AAC had a 40% (HR 1.40 95%CI, 1.11 to 1.76) and 39% (HR 1.39 95%CI, 1.10 to 1.76) greater risk for fall-related hospitalizations in the minimal and multivariable-adjusted models, respectively. This relationship was not attenuated by including measures of muscle function such as grip strength and timed-up-and-go. Conclusions: The presence of AAC is associated with long-term fall-related hospitalizations risk, independent of muscle function, in community-dwelling older women. Concurrent assessment of AAC may be a simple and cost-effective way to identify older women at higher risk of falling as part of routine osteoporosis screening.
DOI
10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.05.003
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
This is an author's accepted manuscript of:
Gebre, A. K., Sim, M., Rodríguez, A. J., Hodgson, J. M., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Szulc, P., ... Lewis, J. R. (2021). Abdominal aortic calcification is associated with a higher risk of injurious fall-related hospitalizations in older Australian women. Atherosclerosis, 328, 153-159.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.05.003