Association Between Low Serum Phosphate Level and Risk of Falls in Hospitalized Patients Over 50 Years of Age: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study

PURPOSE: Falls are the leading cause of injury among hospitalized patients, particularly among older patients. We investigated the association between serum phosphate (s-phosphate) levels and the risk of in-hospital falls. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study included all patients aged over 50 years who were admitted to Yongin Severance Hospital in South Korea between January 2018 and March 2021. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters were recorded on admission. S-phosphate levels were classified into three groups: below normal (<2.8 mg/dL), normal (2.8–4.4 mg/dL), and above normal (≥4.5 mg/dL). The normal group was further stratified into tertiles (2.8–3.2, 3.3–3.7, and 3.8–4.4 mg/dL). The incidence of in-hospital falls was compared between the five groups. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between s-phosphate levels and the incidence of falls during the hospital stay, with clinical factors included as covariates in the multivariable models. RESULTS: A total of 15,485 patients (female: 52.1%) with a median age of 70.0 years (interquartile range: 60.0–79.0 years) were included in the analysis, of whom 295 (1.9%) experienced a fall during the hospital stay. The incidence of falls was significantly higher among patients with lower s-phosphate levels, and this relationship also applied among patients with s-phosphate levels within the normal range as well. The association between lower s-phosphate levels and increased risk of falls remained significant in the adjusted analyses. CONCLUSION: A lower s-phosphate level on admission was independently associated with an increased risk of in-hospital falls. Further studies are needed to determine whether the s-phosphate level on admission could improve prediction of the risk of in-hospital falls.