Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40113742›Full record

ArticleDrugs & aging2025

International Deprescribing Guidelines Did Not Impact Actual Practice in Deprescribing of Potentially Inappropriate Medications for Nursing Home Residents: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

Degefaye Zelalem Anlay, Kristel Paque, Bart Van den Eynden, Tinne Dilles, Joachim Cohen

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Article in Drugs & aging, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Degefaye Zelalem AnlayEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium. degefaye.zelalem.anlay@vub.be.ORCID 0000-0002-7566-9548
Kristel PaqueCentre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), Nurse and Pharmaceutical Care (NuPhaC), Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Bart Van den EyndenELIZA, Department of Primary and Interdisciplinary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Doornstraat 331, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Tinne DillesCentre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC), Nurse and Pharmaceutical Care (NuPhaC), Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Joachim CohenEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090, Brussels, Belgium.

Funding

Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek G023620N
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDeprescribing guidelines reduce the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in trial settings; however, their real-world impact remains unclear. Therefore, this study assesses deprescribing trends and the impact of guideline publications (STOPPFrail, proton pump inhibitors [PPIs], and antipsychotics) on these trends among nursing home residents with limited life expectancy in Belgium.

methodsDeprescribing was assessed using linked healthcare reimbursement data for all residents aged 65 years and older who died between 2014 and 2019. In total, 15 PIMs from STOPPFrail version 1 were selected. Deprescribing was operationalized as discontinuing at least one PIM in the last 4 months of life among those who had been prescribed these medications chronically between 6-12 months prior to death. To identify changes in the trend of deprescribing, we employed a joinpoint linear regression model. We calculated the average quarterly percent change (AQPC) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In addition, we used autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling to explore the impact of publication of these guidelines on four commonly used PIMs: PPIs, antipsychotics, lipid modifying agents, and calcium.

resultsAmong 244,865 residents, 169,782 (69.3%) were chronically prescribed at least one PIM and 50,487 (29.7%) had at least one discontinued. The prevalence of deprescribing declined from 31.7 to 27.66% between the first quarter of 2014 and the fourth quarter of 2019, with an average quarterly percent change decline of - 0.47% (95% CI - 0.85, - 0.10). No joinpoints were identified, indicating a consistent linear trend with no interruptions or statistically significant shifts in the rate of change in deprescribing prevalence. ARIMA modeling found that the publication of deprescribing guidelines had no impact on deprescribing trends.

conclusionsDespite the high use of PIMs, and the publication of the STOPPFrail, PPI, and antipsychotic deprescribing guidelines, deprescribing rates remained low and even decreased. These findings emphasize the importance of implementation efforts that go well beyond guideline publications to effectively change deprescribing practices.

Indexed as

DeprescriptionsInappropriate PrescribingNursing HomesPotentially Inappropriate Medication ListAgedAged, 80 and overAntipsychotic AgentsBelgiumFemaleHumansInterrupted Time Series AnalysisMalePractice Guidelines as TopicAntipsychotic Agents

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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.