Certain characteristics predicted an early fall for elderly patients in a hospital rehabilitation ward.

MAIN RESULTS 824 patients did not fall. Of the 201 patients who fell, 77 (38%) had an early fall, and 124 (62%) had a late fall. Several patient characteristics predicted the occurrence of an early fall (table). Patients who had an early fall were more likely to have a past history of falls and less likely to have had a lower limb fracture than patients who had a late fall. CONCLUSION In elderly patients, certain patient characteristics including past history of falls and absence of lower limb fracture predicted a fall within 1 week of admission to a rehabilitation ward.