Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41063639›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Geriatrics Society2025

Exploring Goal-Concordant Medication Use Among VA Community Living Center Residents With Dementia.

Joshua D Niznik, Lena K Makaroun, Florentia E Sileanu, Nicole Beyer, Xinhua Zhao, Kelvin Tran, Keri L Rodriguez, Laura C Hanson, Thomas R Radomski, Loren J Schleiden and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

12 authors.

Joshua D NiznikDivision of Geriatric Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1466-5751
Lena K MakarounCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4312-1016
Florentia E SileanuCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Nicole BeyerCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Xinhua ZhaoCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kelvin TranCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0269-5339
Keri L RodriguezCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Laura C HansonDivision of Geriatric Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5120-6058
Thomas R RadomskiCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7279-188X
Loren J SchleidenCenter for Healthcare Evaluation, Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Alexa EhlertDivision of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Carolyn T ThorpeDivision of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5970-8359

Funding

Health Outcomes of Discontinuing Aspirin in Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease and Related DementiasR01AG079219 · NIA · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Carolyn Timberlake Thorpe · 2023 to 2026
$2.5M
Deprescribing Bisphosphonates in Older Nursing Home Residents with DementiaK08AG071794 · NIA · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI NIZNIK, JOSHUA DAVID · 2021 to 2025
$724k
HSRD VA IK2 HX003330NIA NIH HHS K08 AG071794NIA NIH HHS K08AG071794NIA NIH HHS R01 AG079219NIA NIH HHS R01AG079219US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Systems Research Career Development Award IK2HX003330
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDocumentation of patient goals and preferences within medical records has the potential to align medication use with goals of care (GoC) and individualize medication appropriateness criteria. We characterized patient and surrogate-expressed GoC for older Veterans living with dementia and explored concordance with medication use during VA Community Living Center (CLC) (i.e., nursing home) stays.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the VA Residential History File, Minimum Data Set, Corporate Data Warehouse, and Medicare claims for Veterans with dementia admitted to VA CLCs from 4/2021 to 12/2021 for > 7 days. We extracted free text responses for "Veteran goals in own words" from a standardized GoC note. Two coders classified GoC topics using iterative coding. We examined bar code medication administration data for aspirin, benzodiazepines, opioids and antidementia medications within the 7 days following admission. We determined a schema for potential goal-concordant medication use (e.g., opioids for GoC focused on comfort) and assessed concordance of medication use with GoC topics.

resultsAmong 1000 VA CLC residents with dementia and GoC documented, 46.4% of responses were reported by the Veteran versus a surrogate. Common topics included comfort (44.6%), life-sustaining treatments (31.8%), function (13.7%), care setting/transitions (12.9%), and life prolongation (11.2%). Medications were seldom discussed. Opioid and benzodiazepine use was classified as goal-concordant for 56.7% and 72.2% of patients who used them. Aspirin and antidementia medication use was more commonly classified as goal-discordant (54.7% and 38.7%, respectively).

conclusionsGoals elicited via an open-ended question provided only indirect information relevant to medication use, but in many cases could be used to refine judgments of appropriateness. Integration of patient goals into formal criteria evaluating medication appropriateness is a logical next step for medication optimization research. Future research should explore the utility of questions specific to medications in GoC conversations for individuals with dementia.

Indexed as

DementiaPatient Care PlanningVeteransAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGoalsHumansMaleNursing HomesUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans Affairsdementiagoalsmedicationsnursing homeVeterans

Identifiers

PMID41063639
PMCPMC12688012

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.