Motoric cognitive risk syndrome and its association with falls: a secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study

Abstract

To reveal whether motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is associated with falls, recurrent falls, and complicated falls in older Mexican adults. This is a secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. MCR was assessed in 2012 and included fall-related outcomes (recurrent [≥2], complicated [need for medical treatment] and number) in the 2018 follow-up. Competing risks analysis was performed, and subhazard ratios (sHRs) were estimated, adjusting for different variables. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of the number of falls. A total of 1 929 participants were included, with a median age of 62 years and 58.3% female. The prevalence of MCR was 17.4% and was associated with falls sHR 1.11 (95%CI: 1.11, 1.12), recurrent falls sHR 1.16 (95%CI: 1.15, 1.16) and complicated falls sHR 1.25 (95%CI: 1.24, 1.25). The number of falls was also independently associated with baseline MCR (IRR 1.19; 95% CI 1.01, 1.40; p=0.039). MCR is independently associated with falls. Increasing the evidence on how MCR anticipates burdensome problems in older adults could lead to actions to halt them; therefore, including it in screening assessments could be clinically useful.