Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of study participants
| 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 |
SD Standard deviation, SBP Systolic blood pressure, DBP Diastolic blood pressure
aHigh risk of fall = Defined using Morse Fall Scale risk score of 55 or more
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
Reference group:
cNon-Chinese