Fitzpatrick and Romero-Ortuno reported the Syncope-Falls Index (SYFI). This can help to identify an older adult at increased risk for syncope or complex falls.The authors are from St. James's Hospital and Trinity College in Dublin.
Patient selection: adult >= 65 years of age
Items:
(1) polypharmacy
(2) anti-hypertensive therapy
(3) anti-cholinergic use
(4) benzodiazepine use
(5) Z-drug use (benzodiazepine related hypnotic)
(6) anti-depressant use
(7) weight loss > 4.5 kg in past 12 months
(8) poor eyesight
(9) poor hearing
(10) poor smell
(11) poor taste
(12) reduced handgrip for sex and body mass index
(13) hypertension
(14) angina
(15) myocardial infarction
(16) congestive heart failure
(17) heart murmur
(18) cardiac arrhythmia
(19) stroke
(20) transient ischemic attack (TIA)
(21) diabetes mellitus
(22) diabetic foot or leg ulcers
(23) proteinuria
(24) peripheral neuropathy
(25) diabetic retinopathy
(26) diabetic nephropathy
(27) chronic obstructive airway disease
(28) asthma
(29) arthritis
(30) osteoporosis
(31) malignancy
(32) mental health disorder
(33) alcohol or substance abuse
(34) gastric ulcers
(35) varicose ulcers
(36) liver cirrhosis
(37) cognitive impairment
(38) urinary incontinence
(39) unsteadiness on standing
(40) unsteadiness on getting up from a chair
|
Status
|
Points
|
|
absent
|
0
|
|
present
|
1
|
|
Sex
|
BMI
|
Handgrip Strength
|
Points
|
|
male
|
< 24
|
< 20.5 kg
|
1
|
|
|
24 to 26
|
< 21.5 kg
|
1
|
|
|
> 26
|
< 23 kg
|
1
|
|
|
else
|
|
0
|
|
female
|
< 23 kg
|
< 11.5 kg
|
1
|
|
|
>= 23
|
< 13 kg
|
1
|
|
|
else
|
|
0
|
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 40
• If any of the responses are unknown, then the decimal fraction for positive responses is given.
• A decimal fraction score > 0.25 was predictive of complex falls.
If a fall was recurrent, unexplained and/or injurious, then it was labeled complex.
Else the fall was labeled simple.
