Table 1 Studies reporting deprescribing interventions
| Reference | Drug class | Study design | Country | Setting | Follow-up duration | Number of participants enrolled | Gender male (percentage) | Mean age of participants in years | Includes participants with dementia | Outcomes |
| Adams 2009 | Tiotropium, inhaled | Non-randomised controlled study | International | Community | 12 | 921 | 0.65 | 65 | No | Medicine use at 3 weeks after deprescribing Dyspnoea Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (morning and evening) Health-related quality of life measured using the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire |
| Allard 2001 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Community | 12 | 503 | 0.17 | 80.4 | No | Total number of potentially inappropriate medicines per person Total number of medicines prescribed per person Number of subjects with at least one potentially inappropriate medicine |
| Alsop 2001 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | England | Community | 30 | 338 | 0.25 | 80 | No | Symptom improvement Successful deprescribing |
| Azermai 2013 | Antipsychotics | Before and after study | Belgium | Hospital | 1 | 40 | 0.53 | 84 | Yes | Successful deprescribing Neuropsychiatric Index Possible Adverse Drug Withdrawal Effects |
| Ballard 2004 | Antipsychotics | Randomised controlled study | England | Residential Care | 12 | 165 | 0.24 | 84.8 | Yes | Quality of life (measured as differences in change in behavioral symptoms) Change in Neuropsychiatric Inventory |
| Ballard 2008 & Ballard 2009 | Antipsychotics | Randomised controlled study | England and Scotland | Residential Care | 3 | 100 | 0.19 | 83.6 | Yes | Survival Sucessful deprescribing Total Severe Impairment Battery score (change from baseline to 6 mo) Standardised MMSE FAS test of Verbal Fluency Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale Sheffield Test for Acquired Language Disorders Neuropsychiatric Index Modified Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Clinician’s Global Impression of Change Post-Hoc Additional Exploratory Sensitivity Analysis |
| Beer 2011 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Australia | Residential CareCommunity | 3 | 44 | 0.32 | 81 | Unclear – mean MMSE 27 ± 2 so may possibly include participants with mild dementia | Short form 36 health survey EuroQol 5-D visual analogue scale Sleep quality MMSE Medication Adherence |
| Bergh 2008 | Antipsychotics and antidepressants | Before and after study | Norway | Residential care | 6 | 23 | 0.08 | 84.1 | No | Neuropsychiatric IndexCornell’s Depression ScoreSevere Impairment BatteryUnified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale |
| Bergh 2012 | Antidepressants | Randomised controlled study | Norway | Residential care | 6 | 128 | 0.25 | 85.3 | Yes | Cornell scaleNeuropsychiatric indexQuality of life-Alzheimer’s disease scaleUnified Parkinson’s disease rating scaleSevere impairment batteryLawton and Brody’s physical self maintenance scaleWeightChange in number of psychotropic drugs takenOxazepam (mg)/day in last 21 daysChange in number of falls per day in the last 21 daysClinical dementia ratingDeath |
| Black 2006 | Bisphosphonates (alendronate) | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 36 | 1233 | 0.00 | 75.5 | No | Change in bone mineral density for duration of deprescribing Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover Incidence of Fracture Histomorphometry/Micro–Computed TomographyHistomorphometric Findings From Iliac Crest Biopsies Adverse Events Antifracture efficacy of continued alendronate in subgroups defined by femoral neck T-score and vertebral fracture status |
| Black 2012 | Bisphosphonates (zoledronic acid) | Randomised controlled study | International | Community | 60 | 1099 | 0.00 | 73.7 | No | BMD in femoral neck – percentage change BMD of spine and total hip Changes from pretreatment levels over 6 years (baseline to 6 years) Biochemical bone turnover markers Fractures (clinical, non-vertebral, clinical spine, and morphometric vertebral) Adverse events |
| Borrill 2009 | Fluticasone and salmeterol, inhaled | Randomised controlled study | England | Community | 1.5 | 14 | unstated | 65.0 | No | Exacerbatons causing dropouts Forced expiratory volume in one second Sputum neutrophil percentage |
| Bridges-Parlet 1997 | Antipsychotic | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Residential Care | 1 | 36 | 0.19 | 81.7 | Yes | Episodes of Physically Aggressive Behaviour Adverse drug withdrawal events |
| Burr 1977 | Diuretics & potassium supplementation | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Hospital | 3 | 106 | 0.12 | 80.5 | No | Blood pressure and pulse Distribution of plasma potassium levels Distribution of plasma urea levels Changes in ankle oedema |
| Campbell 1999 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | New Zealand | Community | 10 | 93 | 0.24 | 74.6 | No | Falls |
| Choudhury 2007 | Inhaled corticosteroids | Randomised controlled study | England | Community | 12 | 260 | 0.52 | 67.6 | No | COPD exacerbation frequency Time to first exacerbation Reported symptoms Peak expiratory flow rate Reliever inhaler use Return to usual steroid inhaler Lung function Health related quality of life – St George’s respiratory questionnaire – EuroQol 5-D total and visual analogue scale Adverse effects |
| Cibere 2004 | Glucosamine | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Community | 6 | 137 | 0.44 | 65 | No | Disease flare Function measured using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Quality of life measured using EuroQol 5-D utility and visual analogue scale |
| Cohen-Mansfield 1999 | Benzodiazepine, typical antipsychotics | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Residential Care | 5 | 58 | 0.26 | 86 | Yes | Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Mansfield Agitation Inventory Function Adverse effects Global Impression Accuracy of staff prediction as to whether the withdrawal would be successful |
| Coll 2000 | levothyroxine | Before and after study | United States of America | Residential Care | 3 | 22 | 0.09 | 78 | No | Successful deprescribing Adverse effects |
| Cunnington 2012 | Dopamine agonist | Case control study | Scotland | Community | Unstated | 46 | 0.67 | 70 | No | Presence of Dopamine Agonist Withdrawal Syndrome |
| Curran 2003 | Benzodiazepine | Randomised controlled study | England | Community | 12 | 138 | 0.29 | 77 | No | Successfully deprescribing Cognitive and psychomotor tests Benzodiazepine withdrawal scale visual analogue scalesGeriatric Depression ScaleMood factors Health-related quality of life – sub-scales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form 36 questionnaire |
| da Silva 2011 | Bisphosphonates (alendronate) | Prospective cohort study | Brazil | Community | 12 | 90 | 0.00 | 71.0 | No | Bone mass density Fractures Bone turnover markers Parathyroid and calcium and vitamin D levels |
| Dalleur 2014 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Belgium | Hospital | 12 | 158 | 0.34 | Not stated – median: 84 years | Unclear – 26 participants are described as having a “cognitive disorder” | Proportion of potentially inappropriate medicines ceased between hospital admission and dischargeCharacteristics associated with discontinuation of potentially inappropriate medicines at dischargeProportion of PIMs that were still discontinued 1 year after dischargeClinical significance of the STOPP-related recommendations |
| Daly 1983 | Digoxin | Before and after study | Scotland | Community | 1 | 15 | 0.40 | 74.7 | No | Successful deprescribingNew incidences of heart failureNew or increase prescription of diuretics |
| Dawson 1999 | Cilostazol, pentoxifylline | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 7 | 60 | 0.65 | 66.4 | No | Maximal walking distance Pain free walking distance Resting Doppler limb pressures Safety and tolerability of the study medications were assessed for all subjects with clinical laboratory monitoring, electrocardiography, physical examination, vital signs, and adverse event reporting |
| Dawson-Hughes 2000 | Calcium, vitamin D | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 60 | 325 | 0.39 | 74 | No | Vertebral fractures Non-vertebral fractures BMD testing Laboratory measurements |
| De Jonge 1994 | Diuretic | Randomised controlled study | The Netherlands | Community | 1.5 | 63 | 0.13 | unstated (minimum age 65) | No | Ankle oedema Successful deprescribing Determinants of oedema after deprescribing |
| Derogar 2013 | Aspirin | Retrospective cohort study | Sweden | Hospital | 24 | 118 | 0.60 | unstated (median 79) | No | Death Acute cardiovascular events Hospitalization due to endoscopically verified recurrent peptic ulcer bleeding |
| Devanand 2011 | Typical antipsychotic | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 10 | 44 | 0.43 | 75.0 | Yes | Relapse measured by Clinical Global Impression-Change Behaviour measured by MMSE, modified Blessed Functional Activity Scale Death Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale |
| Devanand 2012 | Antipsychotic (risperidone) | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community and Residential care | 11 | 110 | 0.40 | 80.3 | Yes | Adverse events Relapse Simpson–Angus Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale Treatment Emergent Symptoms Scale Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale – cognitive Physical Self-Maintenance Scale MMSE scores Increases in body weight |
| Drimer 2004 | Anticholinergic medicine (biperiden) | Before and after study | Israel | Hospital | 0.3 | 27 | 0.48 | 65.7 | No | Adverse drug withdrawal effects Mental status Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive sub-scale results |
| Eastell 2011 | Bisphosphonates (risedronate) | Prospective cohort study | 80 European and Australian centers | Community | 12 | 61 | 0.00 | 66.9 | No | Adverse eventsBMD change from baselineBonemarkers change from baseline |
| Ekbom 1994 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | Sweden | Community | 60 | 333 | 0.32 | 75.2 | No | Probability of restarting antihypertensive therapy Total mortality Cardiovascular events Comparison of death hazard between the three states and that of the normal Swedish population, matched for age and sex Major reasons for restarting treatment |
| Espeland & Kostis 1998 | Antihypertensive | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 26.7 | 975 | 0.48 | 65.8 | No | Predictors of successful deprescribing Cardiovascular events Reported rates of cardiovascular events The probability of remaining normotensive without receiving antihypertensive medication |
| Esselinckx 1977 | Prednisolone | Before and after study | England | Community | Unstated | 18 | 0.39 | 69 | No | Successful deprescribing after abrupt discontinuation Laboratory results after gradual discontinuation Laboratory outcomes after abrupt discontinuation Successful deprescribing after titrated withdrawal Adverse effects |
| Fahy 2001 | Lithium | Case control study | Ireland | Community | 19.5 | 21 | 0.05 | 77.6 | No | Time to relapse or follow-up time Response to reintroduction of therapy |
| Fair 1990 | Digoxin | Before and after study | Scotland | Community | 4- 11 | 32 | 0.28 | 74.2 | No | Successful deprescribing Adverse drug withdrawal events Digoxin dose when reinstated |
| Fernandez 2005 | Atypical antipsychotic | Before and after study | United States of America | Community | Unstated | 6 | 0.67 | 78 | No | Relapse |
| Flint 1999 | Lithium, antidepressants | Before and after study | Canada | Community | 24 | 21 | unstated | 74.4 | No | Depression recurrence Predictors of recurrence Response to reintroduction of therapy |
| Fonrose 1974 | Digoxin | Before and after study | United States of America | Residential Care | Unstated | 31 | 0.10 | 83 | Unclear | Successful deprescribing Adverse events Death |
| Fotherby 1994 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | England | CommunityHospital | 12 | 78 | 0.63 | 76 | No | Successful deprescribing |
| Gallagher 2002 | Calcitriol and/or hormone replacement therapy | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 6 | 489 | 0.00 | 71.8 | No | Mean BMD for spine, total body, total femur, total hip, trochanterUrinary N- telopeptidesSerum osteocalcinSerum parathyroid hormoneSerum 25OHOD levels |
| Gallagher 2011 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Ireland | Hospital | 6 | 400 | 0.45 | unstated (median 74.5) | Yes | Medicine Appropriateness Index Assessment of Underutilization index STOPP/START criteria – participants with at least one item Falls All cause mortality Duration of initial hospital stay Hospital readmission General practitioner visits |
| García-Gollarte 2014 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Spain | Residential care | 6 | 1018 | 0.73 | 84.4 | Yes, 1010 (99%) | STOPP/START criteria – participants with at least one item FallsDelirium, number of episodesDeathPhysician visitsEmergency department visitsHospital in-patient days |
| Garfinkel 2007 | Polypharmacy | Prospective cohort study | Israel | Hospital | 12 | 190 | 0.31 | 81.2 | Yes | Successful deprescribing Death Admitted to acute care facility Medicine cost |
| Garfinkel 2010 | Polypharmacy | Before and after study | Israel | Community | 19.2 | 70 | 0.39 | 82.8 | Yes | Symptom recurrence after discontinuation Successful deprescribing rate Global assessment scale Cognitive function – MMSE Hospital admission Commenced recommended new medicine |
| Gaudig 2011 | Anticholinesterase inhibitors (Galantamine) | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 1.5 | 798 | 0.11 | 77.9 | Yes | Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale using the 11-item cognitive sub-scale Safety and tolerability assessments included adverse event monitoring Physical examinations and laboratory testing |
| George 2003 | Nitrates | Randomised controlled study | Israel | Community | 3 | 120 | 0.55 | 65.5 | No | Successful deprescribing Relapse Characteristics of participants who relapsed Cardiovascular events Death |
| Gerety 1993 | Polypharmacy | Before and after study | United States of America | Residential Care | 6 | 132 | unstated | 70.1 | No | Incidence and severity of adverse drug events Incidence and severity of adverse drug withdrawal events Demographic factors associated with risk of adverse drug events and adverse drug withdrawal events. Change in medicine use |
| Gnjidic 2010 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Australia | Community | 3 | 115 | 0.73 | 80.4 | No | Frequency of Use of Drug Burden Index Regularly Scheduled and/or As-Needed Drugs Across Different Drug Classes at Baseline and Prescribing Change at Follow-up Impact of Study Intervention on Prescribing Change Barriers to Reducing Regularly Scheduled Drug Burden Index Drugs |
| Habraken 1997 | Benzodiazepine | Randomised controlled study | Belgium | Residential Care | 12 | 55 | 0.18 | 84 | No | Level of daily functioning Adverse drug withdrawal effects |
| Hajjar 2013 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | United States of America | Community | 0.75 | 53 | 0.36 | 71 | No | Adverse drug withdrawal effectsBlood pressure (systolic and diastolic) |
| Hanlon 1996 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study AND Before and after study (2 papers) | United States of America | Community | 12 | 207 | 0.61 | Unstated (median 69 years) | No | Medicine Appropriateness Index Health related quality of life using Short form 36 health survey Adverse drug reactions Patient medication compliance and knowledge Adverse drug withdrawal effects Medicines associated with adverse drug withdrawal effects Predictive factors of adverse drug withdrawal effects |
| Hansen 1983 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | Denmark | Community | 12 | 169 | unstated | 75 | No | Successful deprescribingScreening normotensive |
| Hardy 1997 | Lithium | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Community | 24 | 12 | 0.17 | 79 | No | Serum creatinineSerum thyroid-stimulating hormoneMean composite side effect symptom scoresDepression |
| Hauser 2000 | Levodopa/carbidopa and bromocriptine | Before and after study | United States of America | Community | 0.5 | 31 | unstated | 69.2 | No | Adverse drug withdrawal effectsUnified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) |
| Hearing 1999 | Antihypertensives (atenolol) | Randomised controlled study | England | Community | 0.5 | 37 | 0.38 | 72.3 | No | Cognitive Drug Research Computerized Cognitive Assessment System |
| Henschke 1981 | Potassium supplementation | Before and after study | Canada | Residential Care | 3 | 33 | 1.00 | 70 | No | Potassium levels Distributions of erythrocyte K values |
| Horwitz 1995 | Typical antipsychotic | Comparative study with two single arms | United States of America | Hospital | 12 | 53 | 0.17 | 82.7 | Yes | Discontinued antipsychotic MMSE Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric scale Overt Aggression Scale Functional status measured by the Minimum Data Set Plus of the New York State Department of Health Psychotic symptoms as judged by a psychiatric nurse-specialist Quantified Neurological Exam Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale |
| Jackson 2005 | Nitrates | Before and after study | England | Community | 3 | 55 | unstated | 65.2 | No | Successful deprescribing Exacerbation of angina Five-item Sexual Health Inventory for Men |
| Jampel 2014 | Intraoccular pressure-lowering medicine | Non randomized study | United States | Community | 0.2 to 1 | 603 | 0.55 | 70.3 | No | Intraocular pressure percentage increaseIntraocular pressure percentage decrease |
| Jarad 1999 | Inhaled corticosteroids | Prospective cohort study | England | Community | 2 | 272 | 0.15 | 66 | No | Exacerbations |
| Jimenez-Candil 2005 | Antihypertensive (ACEI) | Before and after study | Spain | Community | 3 | 22 | 0.59 | 71.6 | No | Exercise induced blood pressure response (fall or failure to rise) Exercise duration Haemodynamic response |
| Jondeau 2009 | Antihypertensives (Beta-blocker) | Randomised controlled study | France | Hospital | 3 | 169 | 0.57 | 72.3 | No | Dyspnoea and general well-being BNP plasma levels Duration of hospitalizations Re-hospitalisation rate Death rate Successful deprescribing |
| Kroenke 1990 | Polypharmacy | Prospective cohort study | United States of America | Hospital | 6 | 79 | 0.59 | 72.3 | No | Mean number of medicines Daily dose |
| Kutner 2015 | Statin | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 12 | 381 | 0.55 | 74.8 | Yes | Survival at 60 daysTime to deathTime to first cardiovascular-related eventCost savingsQuality of lifeSymptomsNumber of non-statin medications Likelihood to recommend the care being given |
| Leder 2009 | Teriparatide | Two single arm studies (without concurrent control group) | United States of America | Community | 42 | 65 | 0.54 | 65 | No | BMD (PA spine, femoral neck, total hip, and trabecular spine)Biochemical markers of bone turnover |
| Lernfelt 1990 | Antihypertensive | Historical cohort study | Sweden | Community | 48 | 25 | 0.40 | Unstated (inclusion criteria mean that participants were all over 70 years) | No | Blood pressure Successful deprescribing Left ventricular function and other surrogate measures |
| Lin 2014 | Benign prostatic hypertrophy treatment (alpha-blocker and 5-alpha–reductase inhibitor therapy) | Randomised controlled study | Taiwan | Community | 12 | 240 | 0.0 | 78.3 and74.3 | No | Successful deprescribingProgression of benign prostatic hypertrophy symptomsProgression of lower urinary tract symptomsMaximum flow rate (Qmax)VolumeInternational Prostate Symptom Score –Storage subscoreInternational Prostate Symptom Score –Voiding subscoreInternational Prostate Symptom Score –Total scoreQuality of LifePostvoid residual urineTotal prostate volumeTransition zone indexSerum prostate-specific antigen |
| Lindström 2007 | Antidepressants | Before and after study | Sweden | Residential Care | Unclear, perhaps up to 28 weeks | 119 | unstated | Unstated (Age group 65 to 74 years: 9 participants Age group 75 to 84 years: 45 participants Age group 85 years and over: 65 participants) | Yes | Successful deprescribing Predictors of successful deprescribing assessed using the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale |
| Macarthur 1990 | Digoxin | Before and after study | Canada | Residential Care | 16 | 14 | 0.00 | 82.5 | No | Successful deprescribing Clinical outcomes |
| Minett 2003 | Anticholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil) | Comparative study with two single arms | England | Community | 7.5 | 24 | unstated | 81.0 | Yes | Clinical outcomes |
| Moonen 2015 | Antihypertensives | Randomised controlled study | Netherlands | Community | 4 | 385 | 0.46 | 81.1 | Yes | Systolic blood pressureDiastolic blood pressureCognitionDepressionFunctional statusQuality of life |
| Muir 2001 | Polypharmacy | Non-randomised controlled study | United States of America | Hospital | 1.25 to 1.75 | 836 | 0.99 | 65.2 | No | Mean change (SD) in medications and doses Median number of Admission and discharge medications by drug class Median proportions of patients taking individual medications |
| Myers 1982 | Diuretic | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Residential Care | 12 | 77 | 0.78 | Females: 84.5 Males: 79.1 | Yes | Hypertension Congestive heart failure Biochemical abnormalities Weight Ankle oedema Events |
| Nadal 1994 | Antihypertensive | Before and after study | Sweden | Community | 36 | 86 | 0.38 | 74 | No | Reverted to hypertensive during the 1 month washout period Successful deprescribing from 1 month to 36 months Differences in those that restarted and those who were successfully deprescribed Serious adverse events |
| Nelson 2002 | Antihypertensive | Case control study AND Before and after study(2 papers) | Australia | Community | 12 | 6833 | 0.44 | 71.9 | No | Remaining normotensive Characteristics predictive of remaining normotensive |
| O’Brien 2001 | Inhaled corticosteroids | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 3 | 24 | 1.00 | 66.9 | No | Exacerbations Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire |
| OrrWalker 1997 | Bisphosphonates (Pamidronate) | Before and after study | New Zealand | Community | 48 | 22 | 0.00 | 65.9 | No | Change in BMD |
| Patel 2013 | Rivaroxaban | Randomised controlled study | International | Community | 0.1 to 1 | 5882 | unstated | Unstated (median 73) | No | Stroke, non-central nervous system, embolism, myocardial infarction, or vascular death Major Bleeding |
| Petrovic 2002 | Benzodiazepine | Randomised controlled study | Belgium | Hospital | 12 | 40 | 0.33 | 81 | No | Successful deprescribing Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire |
| Pitkala 2001 | Polypharmacy | Pseudo- Randomised controlled study | Finland | Community | Unstated | 174 | 0.34 | 77 | Yes | Drug utilisation |
| Pitkala 2014 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Finland | Residential care | 12 | 227 | 0.29 | 82.9 | Yes | Proportion of persons using inappropriate, anticholinergic or more than two psychotropic drugsChange in the mean number of inappropriate, anticholinergic and psychotropic drugsNumber of hospitalizationsAmbulatory service utilisation15D HRQOL measure |
| Potter 2015 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | Australia | Residential care | 12 | 95 | 0.48 | 84.3 | Yes | Median number of regular medicinesCognitive functionIndependance in activities of daily livingFallsFracturesSleep qualityBowel functionQuality of lifeSurvival |
| Puustinen 2014 | Benzodiazepine | Historical cohort study | Finland | Community | 6 | 89 | 0.34 | 66.7 | No | Cognitive performance using the Computerised test battery of attention, vigilance and controlled psychomotor processing |
| Radford 2014 | Calcium supplement | Non-randomised controlled study | New Zealand | Community | 60 | 1408 | 1.00 | 74.1 | No | DeathAny fractureOsteoporotic fractureForearm fractureVertebral fractureHip fractureMyocardial infarctionStrokeBone mass density |
| Reeve 2015 | Proton pump inhibitors | Before and after study | Australia | Community | 6 | 6 | 0.33 | 70 | No | Proton pump inhibitor useAdverse drug withdrawal effects |
| Rice 2000 | Prednisolone | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 6 | 38 | 1.00 | 72 | No | Average number of COPD exacerbations Average daily systemic corticosteroid dose Dyspnea index Health-related quality of life Spirometric results Changes in body weight Adverse drug withdrawal effects – symptoms of steroid withdrawal |
| Ruths 2004 | Antipsychotic | Randomised controlled study | Norway | Residential Care | 1 | 30 | 0.20 | 83.4 | Yes | Medication use Sleep / Wake Activity Neuropsychiatric InventorySuccessful deprescribingDeaths |
| Salonoja 2012 | Polypharmacy | Non-randomised controlled study | Finland | Community | 48 | 591 | 0.11 | unstated (minimum age 65) | No | Number of falls in total (i.e. one person may have had one or more falls, so can contribute more than once) Number of people falling (i.e. just if the person has fallen at least once) Risk of a fall that required medical treatment (regression – deprescribing group is reference group) |
| Salzman 1992 | Benzodiazepine | Prospective cohort study | United States of America | Residential Care | 12 | 25 | 0.20 | 83 | Yes | Memory Dementia Mood Assessment Scale to measure changes in sleep and affect (depression and anxiety) Successful deprescribing |
| Sambu 2011 | Clopidogrel | Before and after study | England | Community | 1 | 38 | 0.82 | 65.9 | No | Clinical events Concomitant medical treatment and platelet reactivity Thromboxane B2 levels Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation Arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation Inflammatory biomarkers |
| Scarpini 2011 | Anticholinesterase inhibitors (galantamine) | Randomised controlled study | Italy | Community | 36 | 139 | 0.40 | 74.5 | Yes | Drop outs Adverse drug events |
| Sjöblom 2008 | Insulin, oral antiglycaemic | Prospective cohort study | Sweden | Residential Care | 6 | 98 | 0.42 | 84.4 | No | Glycaemic control HbA1C Clinical outcomes All cause mortality |
| Somani 1996 | Typical antipsychotic | Non-randomised controlled study | United States of America | Residential Care | 8 | 57 | 0.25 | 85 | Yes | Dyskinesias Severity Withdrawal dyskinesias – presence Withdrawal dyskinesias – reversibility Behavioural relapse Falls Adverse drug withdrawal events Successful deprescribing |
| Sommers 1981 | Digoxin | Before and after study | South Africa | Community | 15 | 20 | 0.30 | 73 | No | Clinical evaluation Successful deprescribing |
| Straand 1993 | Diuretic | Before and after study | Norway | Community | 6 | 33 | 0.24 | 82 | No | Successful deprescribing |
| Tabloski 1998 | Psycho-active polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 1.25 | 20 | 0.00 | 77.5 | No | Sleep complaints Time in Bed (minutes) Sleep latency (minutes) Total Sleep Time (minutes) Sleep (minutes) Sleep Efficiency (score) Longest Sleep Period (minutes) Number of wakes Wake After Sleep Onset (minutes) |
| Tannenbaum 2014 | Benzodiazepine | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Community | 6 | 303 | 0.31 | 75.0 | No | Successful deprescribingAdverse drug withdrawal effects |
| Tariot 1999 | Carbamazepine | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 0.75 | 51 | unstated | 86 | Yes | Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Physical Self Maintenance Scale Clinical Global Impressions scale MMSE Adverse effects |
| Tham 1989 | Benzodiazepine | Randomised controlled study | Ireland | Hospital | Unstated | 36 | 0.14 | 81.7 | Unclear | Hours of sleep Number of times awake |
| Thapa 1994 | Typical antipsychotic | Non-randomised controlled study | United States of America | Residential Care | 6 | 334 | 0.22 | 82.6 | Yes | Psychotropic medicine use Behavioural problems assessed using the Nursing Home Behaviour Problem Scale Psychiatic symptoms assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale Function Activities of Daily Living assessed using Lawton’s Physical Self-Maintenance Scale Cognition assessed using MMSE Geriatric Depression Scale Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale |
| Tse 2008 | Levodopa | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Residential Care | 1 | 11 | 0.36 | 82 | Yes | MMSE Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Nursing Assistant Behavioral Detection Form Hoehn and Yahr staging scale Motor and Behavioral Deterioration as Assessed by the Blinded Floor Physician |
| Tsunoda 2010 | Benzodiazepine | Before and after study | Japan | Residential Care | 2 | 30 | 0.57 | 79.1 | Yes | Stability of body Neuropsychological status Critical Flicker Fusion Test Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire |
| Ulfvarson 2003 | Antidepressants | Randomised controlled study | Sweden | Residential Care | 12 | 70 | 0.33 | 84.1 | No | Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale Global assessment of functioning Health index Symptom assessment form Symptoms of side effects of SSRI drug treatment Death at one year |
| Van Der Velde 2007 | Polypharmacy | Case control study | The Netherlands | Community | 2 | 141 | 0.26 | 78.4 | Unclear | Risk of a fall during follow-up Mobility Testing |
| van Kraaij 2000 | Diuretic | Randomised controlled study | The Netherlands | Community | Unstated | 32 | 0.47 | 75 | No | Successful deprescribing Changes at three months Blood pressure Temporary difference |
| Van Reekum 2002 | Antipsychotic | Randomised controlled study | Canada | Residential Care | 6 | 34 | 0.50 | 84.4 | Yes | Behavioural assessed by the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease Rating Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Retrospective Overt Aggression Scale Cognitive Function assessed by the MMSE and Mattis Dementia Rating Scale Functional level assessed by the Blessed Dementia Scale – activities of daily living and motivational behavior sub scale Extrapyramidal symptoms assessed by the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale Clinical global impression scale Behavioural deteriorations leading to study withdrawal Lorazepam use as required |
| Walma 1993 | Diuretic | Before and after study | The Netherlands | Community | 6 | 15 | 0.27 | 78 | No | Successful deprescribing Blood pressure Heart failure score Weight Ankle circumference |
| Walma 1997 | Diuretic | Randomised controlled study | The Netherlands | Community | 6 | 202 | 0.25 | 76 | No | Successful deprescribing Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressures |
| Watts 2008 | Bisphosphonate (risedronate) | Non-randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 12 | 759 | 0.00 | 68.5 | No | BMD of the femoral neckBMD of the lumbar spineUrine NTXSerum bone-specific alkaline phosphataseNew vertebral fracturesNew non-vertebral fractures |
| Weber 2008 | Polypharmacy | Randomised controlled study | United States of America | Community | 15 | 620 | 0.21 | 76.9 | Yes | Medication use Falls, percentage of participants who reported at least one fall |
| Wilkins 1985 | Digoxin | Before and after study | United States of America | Residential Care | Unstated | 19 | 0.16 | 84.9 | Unclear | Clinical outcomes after deprescribing Pulse Weight |
| Yedidya 2012 | Clopidogrel | Randomised controlled study | Israel | Community | 24 | 20.00 | 0.75 | 65.9 | No | Haematological endpoints (surrogate endpoints) e.g. platelet aggregation Clinical events (bleeding or Ischaemic) |
| Yeh 2013 | Beta-blocker, benzodiazepine, atypical antipsychotic | Prospective cohort study | Taiwan | Residential Care | 3 | 67 | 100.00 | 83.4 | Yes | Clinician-Rated Anticholinergic Score MMSE Modified Bartel Index Hospital admissions |