Background
Methods
Study design and participants
Sex, n (%) | |
Females | 159 (52) |
Males | 146 (48) |
Age, years, mean (SD) | 81 (5) |
Marital status, n (%) | |
Married | 165 (54) |
Widows/widowers | 112 (37) |
Never been married | 13 (4) |
Divorced | 15 (5) |
Living alone, n (%) | 145 (48) |
Type of housinga, n (%) | |
Living in their own house | 157 (51) |
Living in an apartment | 148 (49) |
Dizziness, n (%) | |
No dizziness | 180 (59) |
Mild dizziness | 46 (15) |
Substantial dizziness | 79 (26) |
Dizziness measures
Measures of potential factors influencing dizziness
Measures of potential consequences of dizziness
Statistical analysis
Results
Prevalence of dizziness
Mild dizziness (n = 46) | Substantial dizziness (n = 79) | |
---|---|---|
UCLA Dizziness Questionnaire, (median (Q1-Q3)) | ||
Frequency (1 = rarely, 5 = always) | 1 (1–1) | 2 (2–4) |
Intensity (1 = very mild, 5 = severe) | 2 (1–2) | 3 (2–3) |
Effect on daily activities (1 = no effect, 5 = unable to continue any activities) | 1 (1–2) | 2 (1–3) |
Impact on quality of life (1 = no impact, 5 = severe impact) | 1 (1–1) | 2 (1–3) |
Fear of dizziness (1 = never worry, 5 = always worry) | 1 (1–2) | 1 (1–3) |
Total score (range 5–25) | 6 (6–8) | 12 (9–15) |
Dizziness types based on movements provoking dizziness, n (%)a | ||
Getting up from lying to sitting or from sitting to standing | 34 (74) | 66 (84) |
Lying down or turning in bed | 7 (15) | 23 (29) |
Dizziness when standing or walking | 25 (54) | 58 (73) |
Number of dizziness types based on provoking movements, n (%) | ||
One type of dizziness | 30 (65) | 28 (36) |
Two types of dizziness | 12 (26) | 31 (40) |
Three types of dizziness | 4 (9) | 19 (24) |
Potential factors influencing dizziness
No dizziness (n = 180) | Mild dizziness (n = 46) | Substantial dizziness (n = 79) | p-value | Post-hoc | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age, years (mean (SD)) | 80 (5) | 81 (5) | 81 (5) | 0.081b | |
Sex, female, n (%) | 86 (48) | 27 (59) | 46 (58) | 0.188c | |
Diseases listed by the subjects | |||||
Diabetes, n (%) | 12 (7) | 2 (4) | 15 (19) |
0.003
c
| S > M, S > Nc |
Hypertension, n (%) | 63 (35) | 19 (41) | 26 (33) | 0.629c | - |
Stroke, TIA, n (%) | 4 (2) | 2 (4) | 8 (10) |
0.020
c
| S > Nc |
Heart disease, n (%) | 35 (19) | 9 (20) | 30 (38) |
0.004
c
| S > M, S > Nc |
Drugs, n (mean (SD)) at least several times a week | 3.5 (2.9) | 3.7 (2.6) | 5.7 (3.4) |
<0.001
b
| S > M, S > Nd |
ACE inhibitors (ATC code C09Aa), n (%) | 40 (22) | 9 (20) | 27 (34) | 0.081c | |
Beta blocking agents (ATC code C07), n (%) | 63 (35) | 17 (37) | 35 (44) | 0.361c | |
Diuretics (ATC code C03), N (%) | 53 (29) | 12 (26) | 37 (47) |
0.012
c
| S > M, S > Nc |
Calcium channel blockers (ATC code C08), n (%) | 26 (14) | 8 (17) | 13 (16) | 0.846c | |
All antihypertensive drugs (ATC codes C02, C03, C07, C08, C09A, C09B), n (%) | 108 (60) | 25 (54) | 60 (76) |
0.020
c
| S > M, S > Nc |
Drugs used in diabetes (ATC code A10), n (%) | 12 (7) | 2 (4) | 13 (16) |
0.019
c
| S > M, S > Nc |
Blood pressure, measured | |||||
Systolic blood pressure, mmHg (mean (SD)) | 148 (21) | 149 (21) | 147 (22) | 0.809b | - |
Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg (mean (SD)) | 77 (12) | 77 (12) | 75 (11) | 0.285b | - |
Orthostatic hypotension, n (%) | 16 (9) | 11 (24) | 9 (11) |
0.021
c
| M > Nc |
Hypertension, n (%) | 100 (56) | 29 (63) | 45 (57) | 0.558c | - |
Physical activity and exercises | |||||
Physically active last summer, n (%) | 157 (87) | 40 (87) | 56 (71) |
0.004
c
| S < M, S < Nc |
Physically active last winter, n (%) | 141 (78) | 37 (80) | 45 (57) |
0.001
c
| S < M, S < Nc |
Performs joint mobility exercises, n (%) | 65 (36) | 21 (46) | 32 (41) | 0.460c | - |
Performs strength exercises, n (%) | 44 (24) | 9 (20) | 17 (22) | 0.735c | - |
Performs balance exercises, n (%) | 30 (17) | 10 (22) | 13 (16) | 0.698c | - |
ORa | 95 % CIb | p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Mild dizziness | |||
Diabetes (ref. no diabetes) | 0.64 | 0.13–3.24 | 0.589 |
Stroke, TIA (ref. no stroke, TIA) | 1.81 | 0.30–10.87 | 0.515 |
Heart disease (ref. no heart disease) | 0.99 | 0.40–2.46 | 0.978 |
Number of drugs (cont.) | 1.04 | 0.90–1.20 | 0.570 |
Diuretics (ref. no diuretics) | 0.84 | 0.37–1.91 | 0.679 |
Orthostatic hypotension (ref. no orthostatic hypotension) | 3.43 | 1.41–8.35 |
0.007
|
Physical inactivity both summer and winter (ref. physical activity both summer and winter) | 0.75 | 0.26–2.16 | 0.588 |
Physical inactivity winter, physical activity summer (ref. physical activity both summer and winter) | 0.41 | 0.09–1.93 | 0.257 |
Substantial dizziness | |||
Diabetes (ref. no diabetes) | 1.57 | 0.63–3.93 | 0.335 |
Stroke, TIA (ref. no stroke, TIA) | 4.14 | 1.13–15.09 |
0.032
|
Heart disease (ref. no heart disease) | 1.67 | 0.86–3.27 | 0.133 |
Number of drugs (cont.) | 1.12 | 1.01–1.26 |
0.040
|
Diuretics (ref. no diuretics) | 1.21 | 0.64–2.28 | 0.555 |
Orthostatic hypotension (ref. no orthostatic hypotension) | 0.99 | 0.38–2.58 | 0.990 |
Physical inactivity both summer and winter (ref. physical activity both summer and winter) | 2.16 | 1.01–4.61 |
0.046
|
Physical inactivity winter, physical activity summer (ref. physical activity both summer and winter) | 1.94 | 0.79–4.76 | 0.147 |
Potential consequences of dizziness
No dizziness (n = 180) | Mild dizziness (n = 46) | Substantial dizziness (n = 79) | p-value | Post-hoc | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fear of falling | <0.001b | S > M, S > Nb | |||
Not afraid at all, n (%) | 101 (56) | 30 (65) | 29 (37) | ||
Slightly afraid, n (%) | 61 (34) | 11 (24) | 24 (30) | ||
Quite afraid, n (%) | 15 (2) | 3 (7) | 18 (23) | ||
Very afraid, n (%) | 3 (2) | 2 (4) | 8 (10) | ||
Falling last year |
0.001
b
| S > Nb | |||
Not at all, n (%) | 128 (72) | 28 (61) | 36 (46) | ||
Occasionally (1–2 times), n (%) | 46 (26) | 14 (30) | 36 (46) | ||
Repeatedly (≤3 times), n (%) | 4 (2) | 4 (9) | 7 (9) | ||
Depression/anxiety | |||||
CESD-9 total score (median (Q1-3)) | 0 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–3) |
0.005
c
| S > Nd |
Quality of lifea (median (Q1-3)) | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–2) | 2 (2–3) | 0.002c | S > M, S > Nd |
General healtha (median (Q1-3)) | 3 (2–3) | 3 (3–4) | 3 (3–4) | <0.001c | S > Nd |
Using one or several mobility aids, n (%) | 38 (21) | 12 (27) | 47 (60) | <0.001b | S > M, S > Nb |
Physical performance | |||||
SPPB total score (median (Q1-3)) | 10 (8–12) | 10 (8–11) | 7 (5–9) | <0.001c | S < M, S < Nd |