Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and Risk for Falls, Their Recurrence, and Postfall Fractures: Results From a Prospective Observational Population-Based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE: Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is a predementia stage associated with increased risk for falls. There are conflicting results regarding its association with recurrent falls and no information about its association with postfall fractures. The aim of the study was to examine the association of MCR and its components [ie, slow walking speed and subjective cognitive complaint (SCC)] with the occurrence of falls, their recurrence, and postfall fractures in older community-dwelling adults. DESIGN: Observational prospective and longitudinal cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: French community-dwelling older women (n = 5958) recruited in the EPIDémiologie de l'OStéoporose (EPIDOS) study. MEASURES: MCR was defined as both the presence of SCC and slow walking speed in women free of major neurocognitive disorders. Falls (≥1), recurrent falls (≥2), and postfall fractures (any fractures and hip fractures) were prospectively recorded using mail and/or phone call questionnaires every 4 months over 4 years. RESULTS: At baseline, the prevalence of SCC was 43.1% (n = 2569), slow walking speed 5.7% (n = 341), and MCR 9.9% (n = 591). Overall, 25.7% (n = 1533) of participants reported any fall during the follow-up. The incidence of postfall hip fractures was higher in participants with MCR compared to healthy participants and those with SCC (P ≤ .001). Cox regression models revealed that only participants with MCR had a significantly high risk for falls [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22, P = .021], recurrent falls (HR = 1.46 with P = .030), and postfall hip fractures (HR = 2.54, P ≤ .001). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: There is an increased risk for falls, their recurrence, and postfall hip fractures associated with MCR but not with its individual components. This finding underscores the clinical interest of MCR for the detection of older adults at risk for falls and their related adverse events in order to start early appropriate interventions for fall reduction.