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Development and external validation of the eFalls tool: a multivariable prediction model for the risk of ED attendance or hospitalisation with a fall or fracture in older adults

Lucinda Archer, Samuel D Relton, Ashley Akbari Orcid Logo, Kate Best, Milica Bucknall, Simon Conroy, Miriam Hattle, Joe Hollinghurst, Sara Humphrey, Ronan Lyons Orcid Logo, Suzanne Richards, Kate Walters, Robert West, Danielle van der Windt, Richard D Riley, Andrew Clegg, (The eFI+ investigators)

Age and Ageing, Volume: 53, Issue: 3

Swansea University Authors: Ashley Akbari Orcid Logo, Joe Hollinghurst, Ronan Lyons Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1093/ageing/afae057

Abstract

BackgroundFalls are common in older adults and can devastate personal independence through injury such as fracture and fear of future falls. Methods to identify people for falls prevention interventions are currently limited, with high risks of bias in published prediction models. We have developed...

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Published in: Age and Ageing
ISSN: 0002-0729 1468-2834
Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2024
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65929
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Abstract: BackgroundFalls are common in older adults and can devastate personal independence through injury such as fracture and fear of future falls. Methods to identify people for falls prevention interventions are currently limited, with high risks of bias in published prediction models. We have developed and externally validated the eFalls prediction model using routinely collected primary care electronic health records (EHR) to predict risk of emergency department attendance/hospitalisation with fall or fracture within 1 year.MethodsData comprised two independent, retrospective cohorts of adults aged ≥65 years: the population of Wales, from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank (model development); the population of Bradford and Airedale, England, from Connected Bradford (external validation). Predictors included electronic frailty index components, supplemented with variables informed by literature reviews and clinical expertise. Fall/fracture risk was modelled using multivariable logistic regression with a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator penalty. Predictive performance was assessed through calibration, discrimination and clinical utility. Apparent, internal–external cross-validation and external validation performance were assessed across general practices and in clinically relevant subgroups.ResultsThe model’s discrimination performance (c-statistic) was 0.72 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.68 to 0.76) on internal–external cross-validation and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.80 to 0.83) on external validation. Calibration was variable across practices, with some over-prediction in the validation population (calibration-in-the-large, −0.87; 95% CI: −0.96 to −0.78). Clinical utility on external validation was improved after recalibration.ConclusionThe eFalls prediction model shows good performance and could support proactive stratification for falls prevention services if appropriately embedded into primary care EHR systems.
Keywords: falls, prediction model, prognosis, proactive, prevention, older people
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Funders: This research was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme (unique award identifier NIHR127905). L.A. and R.R. are supported by funding from the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham. A.C. is part-funded by the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire & Humber, the NIHR Leeds BRC and Health Data Research UK, an initiative funded by UK Research and Innovation Councils, NIHR and the UK devolved administrations and leading medical research charities. J.H., A.A. and R.A.L. were supported by Health and Care research Wales [Projects: SCG-19-1654, SCF-18-1504] and Health Data Research UK [HDR-9006], which receives its funding from HDR UK Ltd funded by the UK Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Department of Health and Social Care (England), Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the Wellcome Trust. A.A. and R.A.L. are also funded by the Economic and Social Research Council through Administrative Data Research UK (ES/S007393/1).
Issue: 3