Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(11):490-496
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001100003
PURPOSE: It was to evaluate the frequency and the risk factors of falls in early postmenopausal women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 358 women (age: 45-65 years and amenorrhea >12 months) with time since menopause <10 years. Exclusion criteria were: neurological or musculoskeletal disorders, vestibulopathies, uncorrected visual deficit, uncontrolled hypertension and postural hypotension, or drug use (sedative and hypnotic agents). A fall was identified as an unexpected unintentional change in position which causes an individual to remain in a lower level in relation to the initial position. The history of self-reported falls during the previous 24 months, and clinical and anthropometric data (body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC)) and bone densitometric measures were analyzed. For statistical analysis, c² trend test and the logistic regression method (odds ratio (OR)) were used for the comparison between groups of women with and without falls. RESULTS: Of the 358 women, 48.0% (172/358) had a history of falls and 17.4% (30/172) had fractures. The fall occurred indoors (at home) in 58.7% (101/172). The mean age was 53.7±6.5 years, time since menopause 5.8±3.5 years, BMI 28.3±4.6 kg/m² and WC 89.0±11.4 cm. There were differences as the occurrence of smoking and diabetes, with greater frequency among fallers vs. non-fallers, 25.6 versus 16.1% and 12.8 versus 5.9%, respectively (p<0.05). By evaluating the risk of falls in the presence of influential variables, it was observed that risk increased with current smoking status (OR 1.93; 95%CI 1.01-3.71), whereas other clinical and anthropometric variables did not influence this risk. CONCLUSIONS: In early postmenopausal women there was higher frequency of falls. Current smoking was clinical indicators of risk for falls. With the recognition of factors for falling, preventive measures become important, as the orientation of abolishing smoking.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2009;31(10):496-502
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032009001000005
PURPOSE: to evaluate the rate of fall and its association with stabilometric parameters in postmenopause women, with or without osteoporosis. METHODS: transversal cohort study including 266 over 60-year-old women with and without osteoporosis, with at least 12 months of amenorrhea. The women were interviewed about the occurrence of falls in the previous 12 months, and about clinical and sociodemographic information. The osteoporosis diagnosis was done through bone densitometry and the postural stability evaluated through a stabilometric platform. For statistical analysis, mean, standard deviation, percentage, Mann-Whitney test, χ2 and Odds Ratio, and Spearman's correlation coefficient have been calculated. RESULTS: women with osteoporosis presented lower body mass index (BMI), lower schooling, shorter hormonal therapy and sooner menopause onset. The rate of fall was significantly higher in the group of women with osteoporosis (51.1%) (p<0.01), that presented an adjusted risk of 1.9 (1.3 to 3.4) times higher of falls and 3.2 (1.2 a 8.2) times higher of recurrent falls than the group without osteoporosis. Women with osteoporosis presented higher amplitude of Y axis oscillation in the open-eye test, than women without osteoporosis. The adjusted correlation analysis between stabilometric parameters and falls has not shown any significant correlation. CONCLUSIONS: women with post-menopausal osteoporosis present higher rate of falls and higher risk of recurrent falls, as compared with women without osteoporosis.