Abstract Details

Title Falls in People with MS: A Transatlantic Perspective

Topic MS and Related Diseases

Presentation(s) P04 - (-)

Poster/Presentation
Number 106

Objective

Background BACKGROUND: Falls are common in PwMS. No studies have compared fall rates and circumstances between countries.

Design/Methods DESIGN/METHODS: 52 PwMS in the US and 76 PwMS in Sweden recorded their falls, including fall location and timing, daily for 3 months using calendars. Negative binomial regression with a log link function was used to evaluate the impacts of country, age, EDSS, MS disease subtype, and sex on fall rate.

Results RESULTS: Compared with the US cohort, the Swedish cohort was older (mean age 50.4 vs 39.7 years), more disabled (mean EDSS 4.70 vs 2.78), had more subjects with progressive disease (progressive 47% vs 6%; relapsing remitting 53% vs 94%) and had more women (75% vs 69%). Overall, 343 falls were recorded by 81/128 subjects. The cohorts had similar proportions of subjects who fell at least once in 3 months (Sweden 63.55, US 63%), fall locations (Indoors: Sweden 62.2%, US 63.5%), and fall timing (Afternoon: Sweden 43%, US 47.%%; night: Sweden 3%, US 6.6%). However, the Swedish cohort had a higher fall rate (1.18 vs 0.47 falls/month) and a higher proportion of subjects with multiple falls (43% vs 25%). EDSS was the only demographic feature that significantly predicted fall rate. After adjusting for all other effects, each step increase in EDSSwas associated with a 49% increase in mean fall rate.

Conclusions CONCLUSIONS: Falls are common in PwMS in the US and Sweden. In these samples, the proportion of subjects who fell at least once in 3 months and the circumstances of falls were similar. However, the average fall frequency and proportion of with more than one fall were higher in the Swedish sample. EDSS, but not country, age, MS disease subtype or sex, was a predictor of fall frequency.

Authors/Disclosures
Michelle Cameron, MD (Oregon Health and Science University) PRESENTER	Dr. Cameron has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Greenwich Biosciences/Jazz . Dr. Cameron has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as a Consultant for Adamas Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Cameron has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Springer. The institution of Dr. Cameron has received research support from National MS Society. The institution of Dr. Cameron has received research support from Department of Veterans Affairs. Dr. Cameron has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care.
	No disclosure on file
Guido Sabatella (Alexion)	Guido Sabatella has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of Alexion.

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