Six-minute walking distance predicts fall risk in elderly patients hospitalized for heart failure

Abstract

Patients with heart failure undergoing cardiac rehabilitation are aging in accordance with the general Japanese population. It is important to understand the risk of falls in these patients. The aim of this study was to identify factors predictive of fall risk in elderly patients hospitalized for heart failure. We enrolled 33 elderly patients admitted to hospital for heart failure, divided them into two groups (with or without fall risk according to the Berg Balance Scale), and compared patient characteristics, disease severity, and physical function between the groups. We then performed logistic regression analysis to identify the factors related to fall risk, and cut-off values were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Six-minute walking distance (6MWD) was the only independent predictor of fall risk. The cut-off value was 328 m. The results of this study suggest that fall risk is increased in this patient group when 6MWD is < 328 m.