Approximately 30% of people age 65 or older fall at least once a year, turning falls into a major public health issue. In 2013, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that direct medical costs for falls in the U.S. totaled $34 billion. Fall injuries are among the 20 most expensive medical conditions and result in hospital costs averaging $35, 000.
Falls Among Elderly Direct Cost: $34 Billion
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EOS imaging, a company pioneering in 2D/3D orthopedic medical imaging, reported the first clinical results from a study designed to determine the correlation between certain sagittal balance measurements and the risk of falling in elderly patients.
The study involved 122 patients at high risk of falling. It was conducted by researchers at the Cochin Hospital in Paris with EOS imaging aimed at improving the screening and prevention of falls. The results of the study showed that specific parameters are significantly associated with the risk of falling and could be used to improve the individual assessment of falling risk.
Professor Christian Roux, Director of the Center for the Evaluation of Bone Diseases at Cochin Hospital in Paris, said: “The prevention of fall and fracture risk in the elderly is a public health priority and screening at-risk patients must be simple and reliable. The preliminary results obtained by the analysis of sagittal balance with EOS are extremely encouraging, especially in light of this need.”
EOS imaging CEO Marie Meynadier said, “The analysis of sagittal balance and overall posture are emerging as key elements in the management of diseases related to ageing. The results of this preliminary study show how EOS systems can be used for the first time in prevention and screening. We are pleased to see that our solutions are enabling significant progress in this area.”
EOS imaging designs, develops, and markets EOS, a medical imaging system dedicated to osteoarticular pathologies and orthopedics. The company is authorized to market in 48 countries, including the United States.
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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