Effectiveness of an Early Intervention in Mild Hyponatremia to Prevent Accidental Falls in Hospitalized Older Adults—A Crossover Ecological Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Falls in hospitalized patients cause injuries of varying severity and even death. There is a link between falls and low blood sodium levels in older patients. Identifying and treating hyponatremia could help prevent falls and reduce hospital stays. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the correction of hyponatremia on reducing the incidence of falls and the mean stay of hospitalized patients aged more than 65 years. Methods: A crossover ecological clinical trial was conducted in adult hospitalization units of a hospital in Madrid (Spain) over 12 months. Patients meeting inclusion criteria were divided into two randomized groups. The intervention was applied in two six-month phases, alternating between groups with a 15-day washout period. Early diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia were implemented in the intervention group, while the control group received standard care. Primary outcomes included fall incidence and length of hospital stay. Data were collected using REDCap and analyzed with SPSS v.21. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 (ClinicalTrials identifier of the manuscript: NCT03265691). Results: A total of 1925 patients were included (408 intervention, 1517 control). Fall incidence was significantly lower in the intervention group (6.7 vs. 9.8, p = 0.000). Hyponatremia was corrected in 72% of cases. No significant differences were found in functional scores. The intervention effectively reduced falls compared to standard care. Conclusions: Early hyponatremia treatment reduces falls and hospital stay in older patients, supporting its inclusion in fall prevention strategies.