Abstract
Introduction
Older people can commonly experience reduced appetite and it can be assessed very simply by questionnaires such as the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Decreased appetite is associated with sarcopenia and frailty, which in turn are related to falls. The aim is to assess if screening for poor appetite might aid in predicting risk of future falls by exploring association between appetite score and falls at three and six months in older people with upper limb fracture.
Methods
A secondary data analysis. Baseline appetite was assessed using the SNAQ, with score <14/20 defining poor appetite. Descriptive statistics summarised characteristics associated with poor appetite. Association between baseline characteristics and the presence of falls at 3 and 6 months were measured using logistic regression.
Results
100 participants (80% females and 20% males, median age 73 years (IQR 9.75)). 9% had poor appetite. Sarcopenia (SARC-F score ≥4), frailty (FRIED phenotype) and a higher number of comorbidities and medications were more prevalent in individuals with poor appetite. Appetite at baseline was not related to occurrence of falls at 3 and 6 months (P = 0.627, P = 0.698 respectively). Sarcopenia, number of comorbidities, EQ5D5L mobility, EQ5D5L self-care and EQ5D5L activities were associated with occurrence of falls at 3 months. There was no relationship between baseline variables and falls at 6 months. In multivariate analysis, the association between EQ5D5L activities and the presence of falls at 3-months remained (OR 3.485 (95% CI 1.463, 8.302), P= 0.005).
Conclusion
In this study population, poor appetite was related to higher prevalence of sarcopenia and frailty but was not predictive of future falls. Sarcopenia, comorbidities, EQ5D5L mobility and self-care were associated with falls at 3 months. Identifying individuals with sarcopenia and difficulty in performing routine activities continues to be imperative to minimise the risk of future falls.