The prevalence and factors associated with potentially inappropriate medication use in Chinese older outpatients with cancer with multimorbidity

Comparison of four criteria for potentially inappropriate medications in older patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a common problem among older patients. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of PIMs in older patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to identify the correlates of PIMs.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study was conducted. Patients were enrolled from January 2014 to December 2020 and information were extracted from patients' electronic medical records (EMRs). We evaluated the PIMs using four different PIM criteria. The concordance among the four PIM criteria was calculated using kappa tests. The possible risk factors associated with PIMs were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The prevalence of at least one PIM identified by the four criteria ranged from 25.1% to 48.2% among 514 patients. There was moderate consistency between the GO-PIM scale and the AGS/Beers criteria, while poor consistency with the other criteria (the STOPP criteria and the Chinese criteria). Polypharmacy was found to be significantly associated with the occurrence of PIMs in all criteria (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed a high prevalence of PIMs in older patients with NSCLC, which was significantly associated with polypharmacy, and the consistency across the four criteria was poor-to-moderate.

Associated adverse health outcomes of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications in community-dwelling older adults with diabetes

Aim: This study aimed to identify the association of chronic polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) with adverse health outcomes (AHOs) in community-dwelling older adults with diabetes in China. Methods: A 2-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using 11,829 community-followed older adults with diabetes and medical records from 83 hospitals and 702 primary care centers in Shenzhen, China. Chronic polypharmacy and PIMs were identified from prescription records using Beers' criteria, and their associated AHO was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of chronic polypharmacy and at least one PIM exposure was 46.37% and 55.09%, respectively. The top five PIMs were diuretics, benzodiazepines, first-generation antihistamines, sulfonylureas, and insulin (sliding scale). Chronic polypharmacy was positively associated with all-cause hospital admission, admission for coronary heart disease, admission for stroke, admission for dementia, and emergency department visits. Exposure to PIMs was positively associated with all-cause hospital admission, admission for heart failure (PIMs ≥2), admission for stroke (PIMs ≥3), emergency department visits, bone fracture, constipation, and diarrhea. Conclusion: Chronic polypharmacy and PIMs were prevalent in older adults with diabetes in Chinese communities. Iatrogenic exposure to chronic polypharmacy and PIMs is associated with a higher incidence of different AHOs. This observational evidence highlights the necessity of patient-centered medication reviews for chronic polypharmacy and PIMs use in older patients with diabetes in primary care facilities in China and draws attention to the caution of polypharmacy, especially PIM use in older adults with diabetes in clinical practice.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict the risk of potentially inappropriate medication use in older lung cancer outpatients with multimorbidity

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no predictive model that can predict the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older lung cancer outpatients.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We measured PIM by the 2019 Beers criteria. Significant factors were identified to develop the nomogram using logistic regression. We validated the nomogram internally and externally in two cohorts. The discrimination, calibration, and clinical practicability of the nomogram were verified using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and decision curve analysis (DCA), respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 3300 older lung cancer outpatients were divided into a training cohort (n = 1718) and two validation cohorts, including an internal validation cohort (n = 739) and an external validation cohort (n = 843). A nomogram for predicting PIM use patients was developed using six significant factors. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 0.835 in the training cohort and 0.810 and 0.826 in the internal validation and external validation cohorts, respectively. The Hosmer‒Lemeshow test yielded P = 0.180, 0.779 and 0.069, respectively. The nomogram demonstrated a high net benefit in DCA.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram could be a convenient, intuitive, and personalized clinical tool for assessing the risk of PIM in older lung cancer outpatients.

Prevalence of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication use in older lung cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: In older lung cancer patients, polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are commonly reported, but no systematic review or meta-analysis has been carried out to ascertain the prevalence and risk variables in this group. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of polypharmacy, PIMs and associated risk variables in older lung cancer patients. Methods: We searched for articles from the beginning to February 2022 in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science that related the use of PIMs and polypharmacy by older lung cancer patients (PROSPERO Code No: CRD42022311603). Meta-analysis was performed on observational studies describing the prevalence and correlation of polypharmacy or PIMs in older patients with lung cancer. Results: Of the 387 citations, 6 articles involving 16,890 patients were included in the final sample. In older lung cancer patients pooled by meta-analysis, 38% and 35% of PIMs and polypharmacy, respectively. The prevalence of PIMs was 43%, 49%, and 28%, respectively, according to the 2019 AGS Beers criteria, 2014 screening tool for older people's prescriptions/screening tool for alerting to the proper therapy (STOPP/START criteria) criteria, and other criteria. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated a high prevalence of polypharmacy and PIMs among older lung cancer patients. Therefore, it is essential to take rational interventions for older lung cancer patients to receive reasonable pharmacotherapy. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42022311603].

Impact of the expert consensus on polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication use in elderly lung cancer outpatients with multimorbidity: An interrupted time series analysis, 2016–2021

Objectives: Elderly lung cancer patients often have chronic diseases other than lung cancer. Therefore, this kind of population is often accompanied by polypharmacy. This situation and the resulting potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use are an increasing global concern. In this context, the Chinese Association of Geriatric Research issued an expert consensus on the safety management of polypharmacy. However, the long- and short-term effects of the expert consensus on polypharmacy and PIM use are not clear.

Methods: The study was conducted in Chengdu, a city in southwestern China, consisting of prescriptions for elderly lung cancer outpatients with multimorbidity (cancer with other diseases) from January 2016 to December 2021. The 2019 Beers criteria were used to evaluate PIM use, and interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate the longitudinal effectiveness of expert consensus by measuring the prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use. We used R software version 4.2.0 for data analysis.

Results: A total of 7,238 elderly lung cancer outpatient prescriptions were included in the study. After the publication of the expert consensus, the level (β = -10.273, P &lt; 0.001) of the prevalence of polypharmacy decreased, but the trend (β = 0.158, p = 0.855) of polypharmacy increased. The prevalence of PIM use decreased abruptly (β = -22.828, p &lt; 0.001) after the intervention, but the long-term trend was still upward (β = 0.907, p = 0.916).

Conclusion: The long-term effects of the publication of the expert consensus on the prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use in hospitals in Chengdu were not optimal. Future research on interventions rationing polypharmacy and PIM use is needed.

Increasing Trends of Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Lung Cancer Patients in China: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use are frequent in older lung cancer patients. This study aimed to examine the trends of polypharmacy and PIM use and explore risk factors for PIM use based on the 2019 Beers criteria in older Chinese lung cancer outpatients with multimorbidity.

Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using electronic medical data consisting of the prescriptions of older lung cancer outpatients in China from January 2016 to December 2018. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of five or more medications. The 2019 Beers criteria were used to evaluate the PIM use of older cancer outpatients (age ≥65 years), and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for PIM use.

Results: A total of 3,286 older lung cancer outpatients and their prescriptions were included in the study. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 14.27% in 2016, 16.55% in 2017, and 18.04% in 2018. The prevalence of PIM use, according to the 2019 Beers criteria, was 31.94% in 2016, 35.78% in 2017, and 42.67% in 2018. The two most frequently used PIMs in older lung cancer outpatients were estazolam and tramadol. The logistic regression demonstrated that age 75 to 79, polypharmacy, irrational use of drugs, and lung cancer accompanied by sleep disorders, anxiety or depression, or pain were positively associated with PIM use in older lung cancer outpatients.

Conclusion: The prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use in older lung cancer outpatients with multimorbidity was high in China, and polypharmacy and PIM use increased over time. Further research on interventions rationing PIM use in the older lung cancer patient population is needed.