BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at a higher risk of falls. This preliminary study aims to externally validate a previously developed clinical prediction model for falls in community-dwelling older adults with COPD. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a 12-month prospective cohort study. Older adults (≥60 years) with COPD, who reported a fall in the past year and/or had balance concerns, were tracked for 12-month future falls. Baseline predictors included 12-month history of ≥2 falls, total chronic conditions, and Timed Up and Go Dual-Task (TUG-DT) test scores. Model performance was assessed for discrimination (c-statistic), calibration (E:O, CITL, and calibration slope), and clinical value (decision curve analysis). RESULTS: The study included 89 participants (average age 73 ± 9 years
83 females
FEV CONCLUSIONS: A 12-month history of ≥2 falls, higher total chronic conditions, and worse TUG-DT test scores, predicts falls in community-dwelling older adults with COPD. Larger studies are needed before clinical application.