Multifactorial and Exercise-Based Interventions Didn't Prevent Falls in Elders

In a recent U.S. trial, a multifactorial intervention to prevent falls in older community-dwelling people failed to lower the incidence of serious injuries (NEJM JW Gen Med Aug 1 2020 and N Engl J Med 2020; 383:129). Now, U.K. researchers have conducted a somewhat similar trial in which 63 primary care practices recruited nearly 10,000 community-dwelling participants (age, >70). The practices were randomized into three groups: One group's patients received home-based exercise programs that were individually tailored by physical therapists; the second group's patients received a multifactorial fall prevention intervention in which clinicians addressed relevant medical disorders, medications, balance and gait, footwear, vision, and home envir…