Falls Prevalence and Fear of Falling in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION

Approximately 50-70% of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience at least one fall event during their lifetime. These events can have debilitating consequences in the quality of life of the individuals' experiencing them, as they can often result in injury, extending beyond physical harm, which may negatively impact the rehabilitation process as well as their psychological well-being.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the proportion of one-time and repeated falls among patients with MS within a year and investigate any potential associations with demographic and disease-specific characteristics. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was conducted.

RESULTS

Results from 4,342 patients were included. The pooled proportion of one fall within a year was estimated at 28.03% (95% CI [20.21, 36.57]), and for repeated falls, 31.74% (95% CI [23.73, 40.31]). Subgroup analyses revealed significant heterogeneity, while meta-regression showed no significant associations between fall prevalence and age, EDSS, or disease duration.

CONCLUSION

42.5% of patients experienced a one-time fall, while 44.7% reported repeated falls. These findings, demonstrate the significant prevalence of falls among individuals with MS, underlying the need for targeted interventions to mitigate fall risk.