Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39578287›Full record

Observational studyEuropean journal of clinical pharmacology2025

Inpatient referrals to a specialist falls and syncope service: prevalence of STOPPFall FRIDs and review of deprescribing patterns.

D O'Donnell, T Zainal, K Malomo, N Fitzpatrick, C Rice, L Byrne, R Briggs, C Cunningham, R A Kenny, A H Lavan

Abstract readObservational Study
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In one paragraph

Observational study in European journal of clinical pharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

D O'DonnellMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. ODONNED9@tcd.ie.
T ZainalMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
K MalomoMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
N FitzpatrickMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
C RiceMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
L ByrneMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
R BriggsMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
C CunninghamMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
R A KennyMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
A H LavanMercers Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeFalls are the commonest cause of accidental death in older people and the most frequent reason for their presentation to hospital. The Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in older adults with high falls risk (STOPPFall) facilitates deprescribing by providing a clear consensus on which medications are considered fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of STOPPFall FRIDs in inpatients referred to a falls and syncope service (FASS). Additionally, we aimed to analyse the impact of a dedicated FASS on deprescribing, both of FRIDs and of non-FRID medications.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study of all FASS inpatient consultations over a 6-month period (March-August 2021). Patients ≥ 65 years old were included. Medications on admission and discharge (following FASS assessment) were reviewed, with FRIDs identified using the STOPPFall deprescribing tool. The prevalence of FRIDs was defined as the proportion of patients who had at least one regular FRID prescribed on admission.

resultsIn total, 162 patients were included for review: 54.94% were (n = 89) female. The mean age of patients was 79.26 years (SD 7.45). STOPPFall FRIDs were prevalent, with 74.07% (120/162) on at least 1 regular FRID. Antidepressants (37.04%, n = 60) and diuretics (27.78%, n = 45) were the most frequently prescribed FRID classes. Of patients with a fracture, the mean number of FRIDs was 2.44 versus 1.56 in those without fracture (p = 0.01). At least one FRID was stopped in 35. 8% (n = 58) of patients. Following FASS review, 28.6% (n = 79) of all admission FRIDs were discontinued.

conclusionSTOPPFall FRIDs are prevalent in patients referred for inpatient FASS consultations. Presentations with acute fracture are associated with higher number of FRIDs on admission. Review by a dedicated hospital falls service leads to a reduction in FRIDs and deprescribing of anti-hypertensive medications.

Indexed as

Accidental FallsDeprescriptionsReferral and ConsultationSyncopeAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHospitalizationHumansInpatientsMalePrevalenceRetrospective StudiesFall-risk-increasing drugsFallsOlder adults

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.