Table 3 Safety Outcomes

Odds Ratio

(95% CI)

p value

Number of patients with target medicine initially deprescribed

N

Number of patients with symptom recurrence

n (%)

Number of patients with target medicine initially deprescribed

N

Number of patients with symptom recurrence

n (%)

Painkillers

102

24 (23.5)

76

11 (14.5)

1.80 (0.83, 3.99)

0.140

Laxatives

80

51 (63.8)

47

15 (31.9)

3.75 (1.75, 8.06)

< 0.001

Antiemetics

37

5 (13.5)

31

3 (9.7)

1.46 (0.32, 6.66)

0.630

Gastroprotectives

40

8 (20.0)

32

7 (21.9)

0.89 (0.29, 2.80)

0.850

Steroid Creams

10

4 (40.0)

13

4 (30.8)

1.50 (0.27, 8.45)

0.650

Vitamin B based supplements

19

2 (10.5)

4

1 (25.0)

0.35 (0.02, 5.23)

0.450

Glucosamine

6

0 (0.0)

0

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Multivitamins

1

0 (0.0)

0

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Diuretics

4

0 (0.0)

4

2 (50.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Benzodiazepines

4

2 (50.0)

2

1 (50.0)

1.00 (0.03, 29.81)

1.000

Antihistamines (for insomnia)

3

0 (0.0)

3

1 (33.3)

N.A.

N.A.

Antihistamines (for itch)

5

2 (40.0)

4

1 (25.0)

2.00 (0.11, 35.81)

0.640

Opioids (for Cough)

18

2 (11.1)

21

3 (14.3)

0.75 (0.11, 5.07)

0.770

Opioids (for diarrhoea)

1

1 (100.0)

3

2 (66.7)

N.A.

N.A.

Odds Ratio

(95% CI)

p

value

Number of patients with target medicine initially deprescribed

n

Number of patients with medication restarted/ substituted

n (%)

Number of patients with target medicine initially deprescribed

n

Number of patients with medication restarted/ substituted

n (%)

Painkillers

102

67 (65.7)

77

46 (59.7)

1.29 (0.70, 2.38)

0.410

Laxatives

84

39 (46.4)

51

12 (23.5)

2.82 (1.30, 6.12)

0.009

Antiemetics

37

5 (13.5)

31

6 (19.4)

0.65 (0.18, 2.38)

0.520

Gastroprotectives

44

7 (15.9)

34

9 (26.5)

0.53 (0.17, 1.60)

0.260

Steroid Creams

10

3 (30.0)

13

6 (46.2)

0.50 (0.09, 2.84)

0.430

Vitamin B based supplements

18

3 (16.7)

4

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Glucosamine

7

2 (28.6)

0

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Multivitamins

1

0 (0.0)

0

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Diuretics

5

0 (0.0)

5

1 (20.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Benzodiazepines

5

1 (20.0)

2

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Antihistamines (for insomnia)

4

2 (50.0)

3

2 (66.7)

0.50 (0.02, 11.09)

0.660

Antihistamines (for itch)

6

2 (33.3)

5

0 (0.0)

N.A.

N.A.

Opioids (for cough)

19

3 (15.8)

23

7 (30.4)

0.43 (0.09, 1.96)

0.270

Opioids (for diarrhoea)

2

1 (50.0)

3

2 (66.7)

0.50 (0.01, 19.56)

0.710

Intervention (N = 126)

Control (N = 127)

Odds Ratio

(95% CI)

p

value

Hospitalisations, n (%)

23 (18.3)

26 (20.4)

0.87 (0.46, 1.62)

0.655

Deaths, n (%)

2 (1.6)

0 (0)

N.A.

0.247