Table 5 Polypharmacy, PIMs and DDIs and associated factors (bold numbers = significant results)

Polypharmacy in relation to GPs’ and patients’ characteristics

Comparison of median values

Number of drugs

p-value

Patient’s sex

Male

Female

Median (IQR)

9 (8 – 10)

9 (8 – 11)

0.319 ^a

GP’s sex

Male

Female

Median (IQR)

9 (8 – 10)

9 (8 – 11)

0.818 ^a

Rural / urban area

Rural

Urban

Median (IQR)

9 (8 – 10)

9 (8 – 10)

0.655 ^a

Correlation analysis

Correlation coefficient

p-value

n drugs – patient’s age

0.06

0.146 ^b

n drugs – n chronic conditions

0.20

< 0.001 ^b

n drugs – BMI

0.01

0.817 ^b

n drugs – 6-CIT score

0.03

0.524 ^b

n drugs – 5-GDS score (unadjusted)

0.12

0.003 ^b

n drugs – 5-GDS score (adjusted)^c

0.10

0.017 ^c

n drugs – EQ-5D index value (unadjusted)

- 0.14

0.001 ^b

n drugs – EQ-5D index value (adjusted)^c

- 0.09

0.034 ^c

n drugs – EQ-VAS score (unadjusted)

- 0.14

0.001 ^b

n drugs – EQ-VAS score (adjusted)^c

- 0.11

0.006 ^c

Logistic regression analysis of hyperpolypharmacy

(use of ≥10 drugs)

Crude analysis

Adjusted analysis (by age, sex, n conditions, 6-CIT)

OR

p-value

OR

p-value

Hyperpolyharmacy – n chronic conditions

1.26

< 0.001

1.23

< 0.001

Hyperpolyharmacy – 6-CIT score

1.01

0.692

0.99

0.583

Hyperpolyharmacy – EQ-5D index value

0.85

< 0.001

0.87

0.008

Hyperpolyharmacy – EQ-VAS score

0.86

0.007

0.89

0.035

Hyperpolyharmacy – 5-GDS score

1.19

0.021

1.16

0.065

PIM use (Beers-listed drugs) in relation to patient’scharacteristics

p-value

Patient’s sex

Male

Female

% of patients with 0 Beers-listed drug

51.7%

55.6%

0.385^d

% of patients with 1 Beers-listed drug

36.1%

35.5%

% of patients with ≥2 Beers-listed drugs

12.2%

8.9%

Correlation analysis

Correlation coefficient

p-value

n Beers-listed drugs – patient’s age

0.04

0.358 ^b

n Beers-listed drugs – n chronic conditions

0.05

0.252 ^b

n Beers-listed drugs – n drugs (unadjusted)

0.07

0.089 ^b

n Beers-listed drugs – n drugs (adjusted)^c

0.06

0.156 ^c

DDIs in relation to patient’s characteristics

p-value

Patient’s sex

Male

Female

% of patients with 0 D/X drug-drug interactions

30.4%

33.8%

 0.374^d

% of patients with 1 D/X drug-drug interactions

35.7%

30.1%

% of patients with ≥2 D/X drug-drug interactions

33.9%

36.1%

Correlation analysis

Correlation coefficient

p-value

n D/X-DDIs – patient’s age

0.04

0.348 ^b

n D/X-DDIs – n chronic conditions

0.05

0.220 ^b

n D/X-DDIs – n drugs (unadjusted)

0.33

< 0.001 ^b

n D/X-DDIs – n drugs (adjusted) ^c

0.33

< 0.001 ^c