Polypharmacy and health outcomes among older adults discharged from hospital: Results from the CRIME study. Issue 2 (28th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sganga, Federica; Landi, Francesco; Ruggiero, Carmelinda; Corsonello, Andrea; Vetrano, Davide L; Lattanzio, Fabrizia; Cherubini, Antonio; Bernabei, Roberto; Onder, Graziano
• Is Part Of: Geriatrics and gerontology international. Volume 15:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 141
• Page End: 146
• Publication Date: 2014-01-28
• Subjects: Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Japan -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Japan -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12241
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1444-1586

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ggi12241-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To investigate if older adults using multiple drugs have an increased risk of rehospitalization and mortality after hospital discharge.</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12241-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>This was a prospective cohort study carried out in acute care hospitals. The primary outcomes of the study were rehospitalization and mortality within 1 year after discharge from acute care hospitals. The study population was categorized in two groups according to the number of drugs prescribed at hospital discharge: no polypharmacy (<8 drugs) and polypharmacy (≥8 drugs).</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12241-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>The mean age of 480 participants was 78.6 ± 6.8 years, and half of them (n = 238; 49.6%) were using multiple drugs (≥8 drugs). Overall, 65 out of 242 participants (26.9%) in the no polypharmacy group and 92/238 (39.1%) in the polypharmacy group were rehospitalized (<italic>P</italic> = 0.004), and 15 out of 242 (6.2%) in the no polypharmacy and 23 out of 238 (9.7%) in the polypharmacy group died during the 1 year follow up (<italic>P</italic> = 0.16). After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the polypharmacy group had an increased risk of 1‐year rehospitalization as compared with those in the no polypharmacy group (RR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.18–2.75). No significant association was observed between mortality and polypharmacy.</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12241-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Older persons using multiple drugs are at increased risk of rehospitalization. Further studies are required to assess the impact of programs aimed at reducing polypharmacy on health outcomes. <bold>Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 141–146.</bold></p> </sec> </abstract>