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Objective To estimate the incidence of falls and to know their characteristics in terms of location, temporality and injuries produced, and to analyse the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the patients who suffer falls. Methodology A retrospective observational cohort study was carried out in a level 2 hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Falls in hospitalized patients between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were studied. The incidence rate of falls per 1000 days of stay was estimated considering a Poisson distribution. The characteristics of the falls are described: temporality, injuries produced, location of the injuries and prescribed drugs. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who suffered a fall were registered. A univariate analysis was performed to compare the results by gender. All data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results One hundred and thirty-two falls were studied, which represent a rate of 1.61 falls per 1,000 days of stay. Men, older age, and admission to a medical specialty showed a significantly higher fall rate. The patients who suffered a fall had a mean age of 77.5 years (SD: 11.7), and had a median of 12.5 drugs prescribed (IQR: 9.25-15). Of the falls, 63.6% did not present any injury. Difference in gender was only found in the situation in which the fall occurred. Conclusions Our data report an incidence of falls similar to other institutions in our environment. The profile of the patient who suffers a fall is an older man, admitted under the charge of a medical specialty, with longer hospital stay, with associated comorbidity and polymedicated, without an obvious temporal feature.

Resumen Objetivo Estimar la incidencia de caidas y conocer sus caracteristicas en cuanto a localizacion, temporalidad y lesiones producidas, y analizar las caracteristicas sociodemograficas y clinicas de los pacientes que sufren caidas. Metodo Se llevo a cabo un estudio observacional de cohortes retrospectivo, en un hospital de nivel 2 del Servicio Madrileno de Salud. Se estudiaron las caidas de pacientes hospitalizados entre el 1 de julio de 2018 y el 30 de junio de 2019. Se estimo la tasa de incidencia de caidas por 1.000 dias de estancia considerando una distribucion de Poisson. Se describen las caracteristicas de las caidas: temporalidad, lesiones producidas, localizacion de las lesiones y pauta de farmacos. Se registraron caracteristicas sociodemograficas y clinicas de los pacientes que sufrieron una caida. Se realizo un analisis univariante para comparar los resultados por sexos. Todos los datos se han obtenido de registros de la historia clinica electronica. Resultados Se estudiaron 132 caidas, que suponen una tasa de 1,61 caidas por 1.000 dias de estancia. Hombres, edad avanzada e ingreso a cargo de una especialidad medica presentaron una tasa de caida significativamente mayor. Los pacientes que sufrieron una caida tienen una edad media de 77,5 anos (DE 11,7), y tuvieron pautados una mediana de 12,5 farmacos (RIC 9,25-15). El 63,6% de las caidas no presentan lesion alguna. Solo se encontro diferencia en cuanto al genero en la situacion en la que se produce la caida. Conclusiones Nuestros datos notifican una incidencia de caidas similar a la de centros de nuestro entorno. El perfil del paciente que sufre una caida es el de un hombre mayor, ingresado a cargo de una especialidad medica, con estancias hospitalarias mas largas, con alguna comorbilidad y polimedicado, sin una asociacion temporal evidente.