The Falls and Syncope Unit is actively involved in ongoing research programmes into the cause of dizziness, blackouts and gait, and balance instability at all ages and the impact that changes in blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm can have on brain health and falls risk. Additional research includes new models of health service delivery for evaluating patients at risk of or experiencing symptoms of falls, blackouts and unsteadiness.
The research takes place in the Falls and Syncope Unit, the Emergency Department of St. James’ Hospital, and in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
Publications listed below:
2017
Briggs R, Kennelly SP, Kenny RA. Does baseline depression increase the risk of unexplained and accidental falls in a cohort of community-dwelling older people? Data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017 Aug 2. doi: 10.1002/gps.4770. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28766755.
Bhangu J, King-Kallimanis BL, Donoghue OA, Carroll L, Kenny RA. Falls, non-accidental falls and syncope in community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older: Implications for cardiovascular assessment. PLoS One. 2017 Jul 21;12(7):e0180997. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180997. eCollection 2017. PubMed PMID: 28732008; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5521793.
Sexton DJ, Canney M, O’Connell MDL, Moore P, Little MA, O’Seaghdha CM, Kenny RA. Injurious Falls and Syncope in Older Community-Dwelling Adults Meeting Inclusion Criteria for SPRINT. JAMA Intern Med. 2017 Sep 1;177(9):1385-1387. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2924. PubMed PMID: 28715566.
Donoghue OA, Setti A, O’Leary N, Kenny RA. Self-Reported Unsteadiness Predicts Fear of Falling, Activity Restriction, Falls, and Disability. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2017 Jul 1;18(7):597-602. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2017.01.022. PubMed PMID: 28648902.
O’Hare C, McCrory C, O’Leary N, O’Brien H, Kenny RA. Childhood trauma and lifetime syncope burden among older adults. J Psychosom Res. 2017 Jun;97:63-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.03.019. Epub 2017 Mar 28. PubMed PMID: 28606501.
Canney M, O’Connell MDL, Sexton DJ, O’Leary N, Kenny RA, Little MA, O’Seaghdha CM. Graded Association Between Kidney Function and Impaired Orthostatic Blood Pressure Stabilization in Older Adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 May 4;6(5). pii: e005661. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.005661. PubMed PMID: 28473404; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5524105.
O’Hare C, Kenny RA, Aizenstein H, Boudreau R, Newman A, Launer L, Satterfield S, Yaffe K, Rosano C; Health ABC Study. Cognitive Status, Gray Matter Atrophy, and Lower Orthostatic Blood Pressure in Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis. 2017;57(4):1239-1250. doi: 10.3233/JAD-161228. PubMed PMID: 28339397; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5545885.
Duggan E, Donoghue O, Kenny RA, Cronin H, Loughman J, Finucane C. Time to Refocus Assessment of Vision in Older Adults? Contrast Sensitivity but Not Visual Acuity Is Associated With Gait in Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 28. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glx021. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28329377.
Finucane C, O’Connell MD, Donoghue O, Richardson K, Savva GM, Kenny RA. Impaired Orthostatic Blood Pressure Recovery Is Associated with Unexplained and Injurious Falls. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017 Mar;65(3):474-482. doi: 10.1111/jgs.14563. Epub 2017 Mar 10. PubMed PMID: 28295143.
Finucane C, Savva GM, Kenny RA. Reliability of orthostatic beat-to-beat blood pressure tests: implications for population and clinical studies. Clin Auton Res. 2017 Feb;27(1):31-39. doi: 10.1007/s10286-016-0393-3. Epub 2017 Jan 12. PubMed PMID: 28083798.
2016
Finucane C, Kenny RA. Falls Risk, Orthostatic Hypotension, and Optimum Blood Pressure Management: Is It All in Our Heads? Am J Hypertens. 2017 Feb;30(2):115-117. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpw129. Epub 2016 Nov 9. PubMed PMID: 27831488.
O’Callaghan S, Kenny RA. Neurocardiovascular Instability and Cognition. Yale J Biol Med. 2016 Mar 24;89(1):59-71. eCollection 2016 Mar. Review. PubMed PMID:27505017; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4797838.
Kenny RA, McNicholas T. The management of vasovagal syncope. QJM. 2016 Dec;109(12):767-773. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcw089. Epub 2016 Jun 23. Review. PubMed PMID: 27340222.
McCrory C, Berkman LF, Nolan H, O’Leary N, Foley M, Kenny RA. Speed of Heart Rate Recovery in Response to Orthostatic Challenge. Circ Res. 2016 Aug 19;119(5):666-75. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.308577. Epub 2016 Jun 21. PubMed PMID: 27330018.
O’Hare C, McCrory C, O’Connell MD, Kenny RA. Sub-clinical orthostatic hypotension is associated with greater subjective memory impairment in older adults. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017 Apr;32(4):429-438. doi: 10.1002/gps.4485. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PubMed PMID: 27245850.
Feeney J, O’Leary N, Kenny RA. Erratum to: Impaired orthostatic blood pressure recovery and cognitive performance at two-year follow up in older adults: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Clin Auton Res. 2016Jun;26(3):243. PubMed PMID: 27193801; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4969827.
Feeney J, O’Leary N, Kenny RA. Impaired orthostatic blood pressure recovery and cognitive performance at two-year follow up in older adults: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Clin Auton Res. 2016 Apr;26(2):127-33. doi: 10.1007/s10286-016-0340-3. Epub 2016 Mar 11. Erratum in: Clin Auton Res. 2016 Jun;26(3):243. PubMed PMID: 26968178; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4819922.
Bhangu J, McMahon CG, Hall P, Bennett K, Rice C, Crean P, Sutton R, Kenny RA. Long-term cardiac monitoring in older adults with unexplained falls and syncope. Heart. 2016 May;102(9):681-6. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308706. Epub 2016 Jan 28. PubMed PMID: 26822427.
Canney M, O’Connell MD, Murphy CM, O’Leary N, Little MA, O’Seaghdha CM, Kenny RA. Single Agent Antihypertensive Therapy and Orthostatic Blood Pressure Behaviour in Older Adults Using Beat-to-Beat Measurements: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 5;11(1):e0146156. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146156. eCollection 2016. PubMed PMID: 26730962; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4701419.
2015
Ní Bhuachalla B, McGarrigle CA, Akuffo KO, Peto T, Beatty S, Kenny RA. Phenotypes of orthostatic blood pressure behaviour and association with visual acuity. Clin Auton Res. 2015 Dec;25(6):373-81. doi: 10.1007/s10286-015-0315-9. Epub 2015 Nov 12. PubMed PMID: 26564200.
Jansen S, Bhangu J, de Rooij S, Daams J, Kenny RA, van der Velde N. The Association of Cardiovascular Disorders and Falls: A Systematic Review. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Mar 1;17(3):193-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.08.022. Epub 2015 Oct 9. Review. PubMed PMID: 26455926.
Hayakawa T, McGarrigle CA, Coen RF, Soraghan CJ, Foran T, Lawlor BA, Kenny RA. Orthostatic Blood Pressure Behavior in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment Predicts Conversion to Dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Sep;63(9):1868-73. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13596. Epub 2015 Aug 27. PubMed PMID: 26313614.
Ní Bhuachalla B, McGarrigle CA, Kenny RA. Neurocardiovascular instability may modulate end-organ damage: A review of this hypothesis investigating the eye and manifestations of NCVI. Med Hypotheses. 2015 Nov;85(5):594-602. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2015.07.020. Epub 2015 Jul 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 26272606.
Richardson K, Bennett K, Maidment ID, Fox C, Smithard D, Kenny RA. Use of Medications with Anticholinergic Activity and Self-Reported Injurious Falls in Older Community-Dwelling Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Aug;63(8):1561-9. doi: 10.1111/jgs.13543. Epub 2015 Jul 22. PubMed PMID: 26200894.
Kenny RA, Rice C, Byrne L. The Role of the Syncope Management Unit. Cardiol Clin. 2015 Aug;33(3):483-96. doi: 10.1016/j.ccl.2015.04.016. Review. PubMed PMID: 26115834.
Kenny RA, Brignole M, Dan GA, Deharo JC, van Dijk JG, Doherty C, Hamdan M, Moya A, Parry SW, Sutton R, Ungar A, Wieling W. Syncope Unit: rationale and requirement–the European Heart Rhythm Association position statement endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society. Europace. 2015 Sep;17(9):1325-40. doi: 10.1093/europace/euv115. Epub 2015 Jun 24. Review. PubMed PMID: 26108809.
Jansen S, Frewen J, Finucane C, de Rooij SE, van der Velde N, Kenny RA. AF is associated with self-reported syncope and falls in a general population cohort. Age Ageing. 2015 Jul;44(4):598-603. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afv017. Epub 2015 Feb 21. PubMed PMID: 25712516.
O’Connell MD, Savva GM, Fan CW, Kenny RA. Orthostatic hypotension, orthostatic intolerance and frailty: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging-TILDA. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2015 May-Jun;60(3):507-13. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2015.01.008. Epub 2015 Jan 17. PubMed PMID: 25687529.
Ryan DJ, Harbison JA, Meaney JF, Rice CP, King-Kallimanis B, Kenny RA. Syncope causes transient focal neurological symptoms. QJM. 2015 Sep;108(9):711-8.doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcv005. Epub 2015 Jan 27. PubMed PMID: 25630908.
2014
Feeney J, Dooley C, Finucane C, Kenny RA. Stressful life events and orthostatic blood pressure recovery in older adults. Health Psychol. 2015Jul;34(7):765-74. doi: 10.1037/hea0000194. Epub 2014 Dec 22. PubMed PMID:25528181.
Frewen J, King-Kallimanis B, Boyle G, Kenny RA. Recent syncope and unexplained falls are associated with poor cognitive performance. Age Ageing. 2015 Mar;44(2):282-6. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afu191. Epub 2014 Dec 17. PubMed PMID: 25520310.
Jansen S, Kenny RA, de Rooij SE, van der Velde N. Self-reported cardiovascular conditions are associated with falls and syncope in community-dwelling older adults. Age Ageing. 2015 May;44(3):525-9. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afu164. Epub 2014 Oct 20. PubMed PMID: 25331976.
76: Richardson K, Bennett K, Kenny RA. Polypharmacy including falls risk-increasing medications and subsequent falls in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults. Age Ageing. 2015 Jan;44(1):90-6. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afu141. Epub 2014 Oct 12. PubMed PMID: 25313240.
Donoghue OA, Jansen S, Dooley C, De Rooij S, Van Der Velde N, Kenny RA. Atrial fibrillation is associated with impaired mobility in community-dwelling older adults. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2014 Dec;15(12):929-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2014.08.005. Epub 2014 Oct 5. PubMed PMID: 25294620.
Finucane C, O’Connell MD, Fan CW, Savva GM, Soraghan CJ, Nolan H, Cronin H, Kenny RA. Age-related normative changes in phasic orthostatic blood pressure in a large population study: findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Circulation. 2014 Nov 11;130(20):1780-9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.009831. Epub 2014 Oct 2. PubMed PMID: 25278101.
Greene BR, Doheny EP, Kenny RA, Caulfield B. Classification of frailty and falls history using a combination of sensor-based mobility assessments. Physiol Meas. 2014 Oct;35(10):2053-66. doi: 10.1088/0967-3334/35/10/2053. Epub 2014 Sep 19. PubMed PMID: 25237821.
Killane I, Donoghue OA, Savva GM, Cronin H, Kenny RA, Reilly RB. Relative association of processing speed, short-term memory and sustained attention with task on gait speed: a study of community-dwelling people 50 years and older. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Nov;69(11):1407-14. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glu140. Epub 2014 Sep 2. PubMed PMID: 25182598.
Romero-Ortuno R, O’Connell MD, Finucane C, Fan CW, Kenny RA. Higher orthostatic heart rate predicts mortality: The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). Aging Clin Exp Res. 2015 Apr;27(2):239-42. doi:10.1007/s40520-014-0261-8. Epub 2014 Jul 18. PubMed PMID: 25034834.
Donoghue OA, Savva GM, Cronin H, Kenny RA, Horgan NF. Using timed up and go and usual gait speed to predict incident disability in daily activities among community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Oct;95(10):1954-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2014.06.008. Epub 2014 Jun 28. PubMed PMID: 24977931.
Donoghue OA, O’Hare C, King-Kallimanis B, Kenny RA. Antidepressants are independently associated with gait deficits in single and dual task conditions. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2015 Feb;23(2):189-99. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2014.04.005. Epub 2014 May 2. PubMed PMID: 24933587.
Sheehan KJ, Greene BR, Cunningham C, Crosby L, Kenny RA. Early identification of declining balance in higher functioning older adults, an inertial sensor based method. Gait Posture. 2014 Apr;39(4):1034-9. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.01.003. Epub 2014 Jan 13. PubMed PMID: 24503180.
Bhangu JS, King-Kallimanis B, Cunningham C, Kenny RA. The relationship between syncope, depression and anti-depressant use in older adults. Age Ageing. 2014 Jul;43(4):502-9. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afu003. Epub 2014 Feb 3. PubMed PMID: 24496179.
2013
Sheehan KJ, O’Connell MD, Cunningham C, Crosby L, Kenny RA. The relationship between increased body mass index and frailty on falls in community dwelling older adults. BMC Geriatr. 2013 Dec 6;13:132. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-132. PubMed PMID: 24313947; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4029500.
Frewen J, Finucane C, Savva GM, Boyle G, Kenny RA. Orthostatic hypotension is associated with lower cognitive performance in adults aged 50 plus with supine hypertension. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Jul;69(7):878-85. doi:10.1093/gerona/glt171. Epub 2013 Nov 8. PubMed PMID: 24214492.
Killane I, Donoghue OA, Savva GM, Cronin H, Kenny RA, Reilly RB. Variance between walking speed and neuropsychological test scores during three gait tasks across the Irish Longitudinal study on Aging (TiLDA) dataset. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2013;2013:6921-4. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6611149. PubMed PMID: 24111336.
Romero-Ortuno R, O’Connell MD, Finucane C, Soraghan C, Fan CW, Kenny RA. Insights into the clinical management of the syndrome of supine hypertension–orthostatic hypotension (SH-OH): the Irish Longitudinal Study onAgeing (TILDA). BMC Geriatr. 2013 Jul 15;13:73. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-73.PubMed PMID: 23855394; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3716968.
Doheny EP, Walsh C, Foran T, Greene BR, Fan CW, Cunningham C, Kenny RA. Falls classification using tri-axial accelerometers during the five-times-sit-to-stand test. Gait Posture. 2013 Sep;38(4):1021-5. dos:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.05.013. Epub 2013 Jun 21. PubMed PMID: 23791781.
Frewen J, Finucane C, Cronin H, Rice C, Kearney PM, Harbison J, Kenny RA. Factors that influence awareness and treatment of atrial fibrillation in older adults. QJM. 2013 May;106(5):415-24. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hct060. Epub 2013 Mar 14. PubMed PMID: 23504411.
2012
Kenny RA, Bhangu J, King-Kallimanis BL. Epidemiology of syncope/collapse in younger and older Western patient populations. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Jan-Feb;55(4):357-63. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2012.11.006. Review. PubMed PMID: 23472771.
Donoghue OA, Cronin H, Savva GM, O’Regan C, Kenny RA. Effects of fear of falling and activity restriction on normal and dual task walking in community dwelling older adults. Gait Posture. 2013 May;38(1):120-4. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.10.023. Epub 2012 Nov 28. PubMed PMID: 23200462.
Greene BR, McGrath D, Walsh L, Doheny EP, McKeown D, Garattini C, Cunningham C, Crosby L, Caulfield B, Kenny RA. Quantitative falls risk estimation through multi-sensor assessment of standing balance. Physiol Meas. 2012 Dec;33(12):2049-63. doi: 10.1088/0967-3334/33/12/2049. Epub 2012 Nov 15. PubMed PMID: 23151494.
McCarroll KG, Robinson DJ, Coughlan A, Healy M, Kenny RA, Cunningham C.Vitamin D and orthostatic hypotension. Age Ageing. 2012 Nov;41(6):810-3. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs088. Epub 2012 Jul 11. PubMed PMID: 22789765.
Fan CW, Savva GM, Finucane C, Cronin H, O’Regan C, Kenny RA; Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Factors affecting continuous beat-to-beat orthostatic blood pressure response in community-dwelling older adults. Blood Press Monit. 2012 Aug;17(4):160-3. doi: 10.1097/MBP.0b013e328356821f. PubMed PMID: 22781633.
McHugh JE, Fan CW, Kenny RA, Lawlor BA. Orthostatic hypotension and subjective sleep quality in older people. Aging Ment Health. 2012;16(8):958-63. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2012.684665. Epub 2012 May 21. PubMed PMID: 22612427.
Stone CA, Lawlor PG, Savva GM, Bennett K, Kenny RA. Prospective study of falls and risk factors for falls in adults with advanced cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Jun 10;30(17):2128-33. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.40.7791. Epub 2012 May 14. PubMed PMID: 22585687.
Greene BR, Doheny EP, Walsh C, Cunningham C, Crosby L, Kenny RA. Evaluation of falls risk in community-dwelling older adults using body-worn sensors. Gerontology. 2012;58(5):472-80. doi: 10.1159/000337259. Epub 2012 May 10. PubMed PMID: 22571883.
Doheny EP, Greene BR, Foran T, Cunningham C, Fan CW, Kenny RA. Diurnal variations in the outcomes of instrumented gait and quiet standing balance assessments and their association with falls history. Physiol Meas. 2012 Mar;33(3):361-73. doi: 10.1088/0967-3334/33/3/361. Epub 2012 Feb 28. PubMed PMID:22369925.
2011
Scanaill CN, Greene BR, Doheny EP, O’Donovan K, O’Shea T, O’Donovan AD, Foran T, Cunningham C, Kenny RA. Clinical Gait assessment of older adults using open platform tools. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2011;2011:462-5. doi: 10.1109/IEMBS.2011.6090065. PubMed PMID: 22254348.
O’Halloran AM, Pénard N, Galli A, Fan CW, Robertson IH, Kenny RA. Falls and falls efficacy: the role of sustained attention in older adults. BMC Geriatr. 2011 Dec 19;11:85. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-11-85. PubMed PMID: 22182487; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3267797.
Romero-Ortuno R, Cogan L, O’Shea D, Lawlor BA, Kenny RA. Orthostatic haemodynamics may be impaired in frailty. Age Ageing. 2011 Sep;40(5):576-83. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afr076. Epub 2011 Jul 12. PubMed PMID: 21749997.
Stone C, Lawlor PG, Nolan B, Kenny RA. A prospective study of the incidence of falls in patients with advanced cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011 Oct;42(4):535-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.01.006. Epub 2011 Mar 27. PubMed PMID: 21444189.
Romero-Ortuno R, Cogan L, Foran T, Kenny RA, Fan CW. Continuous noninvasive orthostatic blood pressure measurements and their relationship with orthostatic intolerance, falls, and frailty in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Apr;59(4):655-65. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03352.x. Epub 2011 Mar 25. PubMed PMID: 21438868.
O’Dwyer C, Bennett K, Langan Y, Fan CW, Kenny RA. Amnesia for loss of consciousness is common in vasovagal syncope. Europace. 2011 Jul;13(7):1040-5. doi: 10.1093/europace/eur069. Epub 2011 Mar 23. PubMed PMID: 21436135.
Setti A, Burke KE, Kenny RA, Newell FN. Is inefficient multisensory processing associated with falls in older people? Exp Brain Res. 2011Mar;209(3):375-84. doi: 10.1007/s00221-011-2560-z. Epub 2011 Feb 4. PubMed PMID: 21293851.
Panel on Prevention of Falls in Older Persons, American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatrics Society. Summary of the Updated American Geriatrics Society/British Geriatrics Society clinical practice guideline for prevention of falls in older persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Jan;59(1):148-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03234.x. PubMed PMID: 21226685.
2010
Cronin H, Kenny RA. Cardiac causes for falls and their treatment. Clin Geriatr Med. 2010 Nov;26(4):539-67. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2010.07.006. PubMed PMID: 20934610.
Greene BR, O’Donovan A, Romero-Ortuno R, Cogan L, Scanaill CN, Kenny RA. Quantitative falls risk assessment using the timed up and go test. IEEE TransBiomed Eng. 2010 Dec;57(12):2918-26. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2010.2083659. Epub 2010Oct 4. PubMed PMID: 20923729.
McCarthy F, De Bhladraithe S, Rice C, McMahon CG, Geary U, Plunkett PK, Crean P, Murphy R, Foley B, Mulvihill N, Kenny RA, Cunningham CJ. Resource utilisation for syncope presenting to an acute hospital Emergency Department. Ir J Med Sci. 2010 Dec;179(4):551-5. doi: 10.1007/s11845-010-0497-z. Epub 2010 Jun 15. PubMed PMID: 20552293.
O’Dwyer C, Hade D, Fan CW, Cunningham C, Kenny RA. How well are European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines adhered to in patients with syncope? Ir Med J. 2010 Jan;103(1):11-4. PubMed PMID: 20222386.