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Age and Ageing Advance Access published online on May 18, 2005
Age and Ageing, doi:10.1093/ageing/afi108
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org
Received December 15, 2004
Accepted April 6, 2005

Article

24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring is unhelpful in the investigation of older persons with recurrent falls

John Davison 1*, Steven Brady 2, and Rose Anne Kenny 3

1 Falls and Syncope Service, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
2 Department of Cardiology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
3 Cardiovascular Research, Falls and Syncope Service and University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE4 6BE, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
John Davison, E-mail: John.Davison{at}ncl.ac.uk


  Abstract

Background: although frequently used in the assessment of patients with falls, it is unclear whether 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography contributes to their assessment in older persons.

Objective: to identify electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with recurrent falls and case controls, and determine whether 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography identifies causal arrhythmias for falls.

Design: prospective case-control study.

Methods: 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography recordings were compared for the type and prevalence of arrhythmias and symptom correlation in consecutive older subjects with recurrent falls attending the accident and emergency department and in case controls (no previous falls or syncope). ECG abnormalities were categorised as major (ventricular arrhythmia, pauses, <30 b.p.m., Mobitz II, complete heart block) and minor (multiple ectopics, paroxysmal atrial arrhythmia and other bradyarrhythmias).

Results: 128 fallers (76 ± 6 years) and 100 case controls (75 ± 5 years) were recruited. Co-medication and co-morbidity were similar in both groups. 49% (63) of recordings in fallers and 41% (41) of recordings in controls were abnormal. There was no difference between groups in the prevalence of major or minor abnormalities or of symptoms during recording (breathlessness, fatigue, chest pain and dizziness). Palpitations occurred in 10% of fallers and 13% of controls. One patient fell during monitoring with no associated rhythm abnormality.

Conclusion: multiple abnormalities are present on 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography in older people whether or not they have experienced falls. 24-hour electrocardiography does not discriminate between fallers and non-fallers and is not helpful in the investigation of recurrent falls.

Keywords: ambulatory electrocardiography, older persons, falls, investigations, elderly.
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