ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences2013
Depression, antidepressants, and falls among community-dwelling elderly people: the MOBILIZE Boston study.
Article in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 29 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
29 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Cause or Effect? Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2015Pooled it
- Determining Risk of Falls in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Using Posttest Probability.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Pooled it
- Effect of structured physical activity on prevention of serious fall injuries in adults aged 70-89: randomized clinical trial (LIFE Study).BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2016Trial
- Article
- Association between nighttime sleep duration and falls among community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and over: findings from a nationwide population-based study.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Physiological Risk Factors for Falls.Journal of aging research · 2026Article
- Relationship Between Depression and Falls Among Nursing Home Residents: Integrative Review.Interactive journal of medical research · 2024Review
- The association between falls and depressive symptoms among older adults: evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- The role of frailty in the association between depression and fall risk among older adults.Aging & mental health · 2022Article
- Spatio-Temporal Gait Parameters in Association with Medications and Risk of Falls in the Elderly.Clinical interventions in aging · 2022Article
- Antidepressant Use Partially Mediates the Association Between Depression and Risk of Falls and Fall Injuries Among Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2021Article
- Incidence and multidimensional predictors of occasional and recurrent falls among Malaysian community-dwelling older persons.BMC geriatrics · 2021Article
- Investigating Risk Factors for Falls among Community-Dwelling Older Adults According to WHO's Risk Factor Model for Falls.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2021Article
- Independent and synergistic effects of pain, insomnia, and depression on falls among older adults: a longitudinal study.BMC geriatrics · 2020Article
- Multinational Investigation of Fracture Risk with Antidepressant Use by Class, Drug, and Indication.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2020Article
- Factors Associated With Falls Among Urban-Dwellers Aged 55 Years and Over in the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) Study.Frontiers in public health · 2020Article
- Arthritis, Depression, and Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2018Article
- Falls and Depression in Men: A Population-Based Study.American journal of men's health · 2018Observational
- Analgesic use and risk of recurrent falls in participants with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.Osteoarthritis and cartilage · 2017Article
- Psychotropic Drug-Related Fall Incidents in Nursing Home Residents Living in the Eastern Part of The Netherlands.Drugs in R&D · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe mechanisms linking falls and depression are still unknown. The aim of the study is to examine the association between depression and antidepressants, with indoor and outdoor falls, and to investigate how antidepressants mediate this relationship.
methodsThe study included 763 men and women aged 70 and older with baseline measures for depression and antidepressant use are captured with prospective data on falls from the "Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect and Zest in the Elderly" (MOBILIZE) Boston study, which is a population-based longitudinal study (from 2005 to 2009).
resultsOverall, the rate of falls was 26 falls/100 person-years. Seventeen percent of participants had clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS), and 12% used antidepressants. CSDS increased the risk of indoor and outdoor falls (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.3, p < .01; IRR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2-2.2, p < .01). Antidepressant use increased the risk of outdoor falls by 70% and partially mediated the association between CSDS and outdoor falls (IRR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.2-2.5, p < .05). There was no relationship between antidepressant use and indoor falls. Similar results were observed when depression was considered as a continuous variable.
conclusionsDepression increased the risk of indoor and outdoor falls. Antidepressant use among older adults with CSDS increased the risk of outdoor, but not indoor falls. Clinicians should carefully consider the role of antidepressants among older adults with CSDS and their potential increase for the risk of outdoor falls.
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