Mild cognitive impairment is associated with falls among older adults: Findings from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

• The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was 10% in the Irish older population.
• Mild cognitive impairment is related with higher rates of falls among older adults.
• Mild cognitive impairment is related with the occurrence of non-accidental falls.

IntroductionThe role of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on falls among older adults remains under-investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between MCI and number of falls or occurrence of non-accidental falls among older adults.MethodsData from the first wave of the Irish longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was analysed. The analytical sample consisted of 5364 individuals aged ≥ 50 years. MCI was defined as: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score < 26; the presence of subjective cognitive complaints; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 14; and no limitations in activities of daily living (ADL). Multivariable Poisson and logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between MCI and number of falls or the presence of non-accidental falls in the past 12 months.ResultsThe prevalence of MCI was 10.1%. In the fully-adjusted model, MCI was associated with a higher rate of falls (PR = 1.41 95%CI = 1.05–1.89) and odds for non-accidental falls in the past 12 months (OR = 1.67 95%CI = 1.07–2.61). Muscle strength and performance indicators, and medical health conditions were influential factors in the association between MCI and falls but did not fully explain the association.ConclusionMCI is related with higher rates of falls and the occurrence of non-accidental falls among older adults. Future studies are warranted to clarify the underlying mechanism linking MCI and falls, and to establish interventions targeting MCI to reduce the risk of falls.