ObjectiveTo examine the risk factors for falls in elderly patients with visual impairment (VI) and assess the predictive performance of these factors.MethodsBetween January 2019 and March 2021, a total of 251 elderly patients aged 65–92 years with VI were enrolled and then prospectively followed up for 12 months to evaluate outcomes of accidental falls via telephone interviews. Information of demographics and lifestyle, gait and balance deficits, and ophthalmic and systemic conditions were collected during baseline visits. Forward stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors of falls in elderly patients with VI, and a derived nomogram was constructed.ResultsA total of 143 falls were reported in 251 elderly patients during follow-up, with an incidence of 56.97%. The risk factors for falls in elderly patients with VI identified by multivariable logistic regression were women [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.71, 1.40–5.27], smoking (3.57, 1.34–9.48), outdoor activities/3 months (1.31, 1.08–1.59), waking up frequently during the night (2.08, 1.15–3.79), disorders of balance and gait (2.60, 1.29–5.24), glaucoma (3.12, 1.15–8.44), other retinal degenerations (3.31, 1.16–9.43) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the better eye (1.79, 1.10–2.91). A nomogram was developed based on the abovementioned multivariate analysis results. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the predictive model was 0.779.ConclusionsGender, smoking, outdoor activities, waking up at night, disorders of balance and gait, glaucoma, other retinal degeneration and BCVA of the better eye were independent risk factors for falls in elderly patients with VI. The predictive model and derived nomogram achieved a satisfying prediction of fall risk in these individuals.

Purpose. To identify the causes and risk factors of repeated hospitalization among patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods. Our study retrospectively examined the data of DR patients who were readmitted for treatments to the Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital between January 2012 and July 2021. We first analyzed the main causes of repeated admissions and then divided the patients into three groups according to the times of readmissions. Ordinal logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics. Moreover, comparisons of the length of stay and the hospitalization cost of DR patients with repeated admission causes were conducted. Results. Among 2592 hospital discharges of 827 patients who experienced at least two hospitalizations, the major causes of repeated hospitalization were macular edema (30.83%), vitreous hemorrhage (29.09%), cataract (22.76%), proliferative membrane formation (6.91%), silicone oil removal (4.71%), retinal detachment (4.44%), and glaucoma (4.17%). The results of ordinal logistic regression showed that younger patients with medical insurance and local residence have a higher risk of repeated hospitalization ( p < 0.05 ). Furthermore, patients readmitted for vitreous hemorrhage, proliferative membrane formation, and retinal detachment experienced longer length of hospital stay and higher hospitalization cost ( p < 0.001 ). Conclusions. Multiple causes and risk factors contribute to repeated hospitalization, imposing a substantial physical and economic burden on DR patients. A better understanding of these causes and risk factors of readmission may lead to lowering such risks and alleviating patients’ burden.

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