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Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants

From: Anti-hypertensive medications and injurious falls in an older population of low socioeconomic status: a nested case-control study

Characteristics

Total sample (n = 210)

Cases (n = 48)

Controls (n = 162)

P-value

Age, years, mean ± SD

78.1 ± 8.3

79.5 ± 8.4

77.7 ± 8.3

0.18

Female, n (%)

127 (60.4)

32 (66.7)

95 (58.6)

0.32

Body mass index, kg/m2, mean ± SD

23.9 ± 5.2

24.8 ± 6.0

23.7 ± 4.8

0.40

Chinesec, n (%)

189 (90.0)

46 (95.3)

143 (88.3)

0.17

SBP on admission, mmHg, mean ± SD

133.1 ± 19.2

137.7 ± 23.7

131.7 ± 17.7

0.07

DBP on admission, mmHg, mean ± SD

68.3 ± 10.3

69.3 ± 11.8

67.9 ± 9.9

0.78

Visual impairment, n (%)

29 (13.8)

10 (20.8)

19 (11.7)

0.15

Hearing impairment, n (%)

18 (8.6)

5 (10.4)

13 (8.02)

0.57

Use of walking aid, n (%)

84 (40.0)

37 (77.1)

47 (29.0)

< 0.01

High risk of falla, n (%)

42 (20.0)

21 (43.8)

21 (13.0)

< 0.01

Smoking history, n (%)

48 (22.9)

10 (20.8)

38 (23.4)

0.70

Alcohol history, n (%)

23 (11.0)

5 (10.4)

18 (11.1)

0.90

Medical history, n (%)

 Hypertension

162 (77.1)

37 (77.1)

125 (77.2)

0.88

 Cerebrovascular accident or transient ischaemic attack

39 (18.6)

12 (25.0)

27 (16.7)

0.19

 Ischaemic heart disease

52 (24.8)

12 (25.0)

40 (24.7)

0.97

 Diabetes mellitus

75 (35.7)

18 (37.5)

57 (35.2)

0.79

 Hyperlipidaemia

147 (70.0)

33 (68.8)

114 (70.4)

0.83

 Osteoporosis

20 (9.5)

5 (10.4)

15 (9.3)

0.78

 Cancer

26 (12.4)

7 (14.5)

19 (11.7)

0.60

 Cognitive impairment

21 (10.0)

6 (12.5)

15 (9.3)

0.59

Prior history of falls, n (%)

49 (23.3)

18 (37.5)

31 (19.1)

0.01

Charlson Comorbidity Index, mean ± SD

5.1 ± 2.3

6.3 ± 2.5

4.7 ± 2.1

< 0.01

Medication use, n (%)

 Statin

124 (59.0)

29 (60.4)

95 (58.6)

0.83

 Psychotropic medication

36 (17.1)

13 (27.1)

23 (14.2)

0.04

 Anti-hypertensive medication

148 (70.4)

40 (83.3)

108 (66.7)

0.03

  ≥ 2 anti-hypertensive medication

72 (34.3)

31 (64.6)

41 (25.3)

< 0.01

 Any change in anti-hypertensive medicationb

41 (19.5)

20 (41.7)

21 (13.0)

< 0.01

Type of anti-hypertensive, n (%)

 Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor

43 (20.5)

15 (31.3)

28 (17.3)

0.04

 Angiotensin II receptor blocker

41 (19.5)

15 (31.3)

26 (16.0)

0.02

 Beta-blocker

56 (26.7)

21 (43.8)

35 (21.6)

< 0.01

 Calcium channel blocker

75 (35.7)

17 (35.4)

58 (35.8)

0.94

 Diuretic

24 (11.4)

12 (25.0)

12 (7.41)

< 0.01

Polypharmacy, n (%)

109 (51.9)

32 (66.7)

77 (47.5)

0.02

  1. SD Standard deviation, SBP Systolic blood pressure, DBP Diastolic blood pressure
  2. aHigh risk of fall = Defined using Morse Fall Scale risk score of 55 or more
  3. bAny change in anti-hypertensive medication = An addition of a new class of anti-hypertensive medication or an increase in the dosage of the existing medication or a switch to a new class of anti-hypertensive medication; Polypharmacy = Use of 4 or more chronic medication
  4. Reference group:
  5. cNon-Chinese