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Patients who have had a stroke are under the risk of a wide range of secondary complications. 1-5 A very high incidence of falls (15.9/1000 patients/day) has been reported from a geriatric unit for stroke rehabilitation. 6
The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of falling, to identify the risk factors for falling after stroke, and to evaluate the relation between lesion localisation and falling.
Materials and methods
The participants of the study were patients with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke who were followed up in our stroke unit between the years of 1992-6.
The exclusion criteria were history of a transient ischaemic attack, epilepsy, orthopaedic problems, major psychiatric problems, and intracranial operations. Two hundred and ninety three patients were eligible for the study. A standard questionnaire was posted to the patients or their relatives to obtain information about falling. Questions were asked about the number of falls, and the patient's psychiatric status and functional capability. Falling was described as losing balance under conditions such as during standing up from a lying position, walking, changing position, or descending stairs, without any change of consiousness.
On the questionnaire form, patients were asked to fill out the Montgomery and Asberg rating scale and Barthel index functional status forms to evaluate their mood and functional status. Other information about stroke type and severity, CT and MRI findings, and risk factors for stroke were screened from their hospital recordings. A neurologist checked all questionnaire forms and the patients were separated into two groups; falling patients and non-falling patients.
DATA ANALYSES
Data were collected on standard proformas for analyses using SPSS version 7.5 for Windows 95 (SPSS Inc). We used [chi]2 tests (categorical variables) and Student's t test as appropriate (continuous variables) to investigate the relation between each question and demographic variables and outcomes. Results are reported as arithmetic mean and simple SD. Variables considered for questions were Barthel index, Montgomery and Asberg rating scale, age, and sex. Each patient's risk factors, age, and the hemisphere involved in ischaemia were assessed. Statistical significance was accepted at the 0.05 level.
Results
We registered 131 falling (44% of all patients, mean (SD) age 62.5 (10.3)) and 162 non-falling (56%, 59.9 (11.4)) patients. The mean age of the falling group...