Following on the 2018 ASPREE trial findings that the daily use of aspirin did not improve disability-free survival among aging adults, a new substudy now reports that aspirin (100mg daily) was associated with a higher risk of serious falls (incidence ratio: 1.17; P = 0.01). The researchers recruited 16,703 people (median age, 74; 55% women; 8322 in intervention group, 8381 in control group) for the ASPREE-FRACTURE substudy; data were analyzed from October 17, 2019 to August 31, 2022. Primary outcome was the occurrence of any fracture; secondary outcome was serious fall resulting in hospital presentation. There were 2865 fractures and 1688 serious falls in near 5-year follow-up.
The authors concluded that based on their findings, aspirin provides “little favorable benefit” in the healthy, white older adult population.
Source: Barker AL, Morello R, Thao LTP, et al. Daily low-dose aspirin and risk of serious falls and fractures in healthy older people: a substudy of the ASPREE randomized clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2022;182(12):1289–1297. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.5028
