1270-P: Falls among Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Vietnam—What Are the Risk Factors?

Introduction and Objective: Falls and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are increasingly emerging as clinical challenges, particularly among the older population. Although several studies indicate that older adults with T2DM have a higher risk of falls, there is insufficient evidence about these associations in the Vietnamese setting. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of falls and related factors in older patients with T2D in National Geriatric Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients with T2D aged ≥ 60 years from March to November 2024. The number of falls in the last year was identified by self-report, and recurrent falls were defined as two or more falls occurring in the previous year. Demographic, T2D-specific factors, medical history, and a comprehensive geriatric assessment were assessed using validated methods. Results: A total of 608 patients were recruited (64.14% female, mean age 73.63 [7.29] years). In the previous year, 18.09% of patients reported at least one fall, whereas 6.41% encountered recurrent falls. Having diabetic complications, using insulin, poor HbA1C control (≥ 7%), risk of malnutrition, and low scores on physical performance tests were significantly associated with falls. A history of hospitalization remained a significant risk factor in the multivariable logistic regression models for falls and recurrent falls with OR of 2.05 (95% CI: 1.29-3.27) and 2.06(95% CI: 1.02-4.179), respectively. Conclusion: The results emphasize the need for comprehensive assessments in older patients with T2D to identify fall risk factors and implement individualized fall prevention interventions. Disclosure T. Dinh: None. H.T. Vu: None. T.N. Nguyen: None. A.H. Nguyen: None. Funding PhD Scholarship Programme of Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VINIF), code (VINIF.2024.TS.059)