Validated medication deprescribing instruments for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review / Instrumentos validados de desprescripción de medicamentos para los pacientes que reciben cuidados paliativos: una revisión sistemática

Objectives: Patients with life-limiting illnesses are prone to unnecessary polypharmacy. Deprescribing tools may contribute to minimizing negative outcomes. Thus, the aims of the study were to identify validated instruments for deprescribing inappropriate medications for patients with palliative care needs and to assess the impact on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases (until May 2021). A manual search was performed in the references of enrolled articles. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out by 2 independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. Results: Out of the 5791 studies retrieved, after excluding duplicates (n = 1050), conducting title/abstract screening (n = 4741), and full reading (n = 41), only 1 study met the inclusion criteria. In this included study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted, which showed a high level of bias risk overall. Adults 75 years or older (n = 130) with limited life expectancy and polypharmacy were allocated to 2 groups [intervention arm (deprescribing); and control arm (usual care)]. Deprescribing was performed with the aid of the STOPPFrail tool. The mean number of inappropriate medications and monthly medication costs were significantly lower in the intervention arm. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of unscheduled hospital presentations, falls, fractures, mortality, and quality of life. Conclusions: Despite the availability of several instruments to support deprescribing in patients with palliative care needs, only 1 of them has undergone validation and robust assessment for effectiveness in clinical practice. The STOPPFrail tool appears to reduce the number of inappropriate medications for older people with limited life expectancy (and probably palliative care needs)...(AU)

Objetivo: Los pacientes con enfermedades terminales son propensos a la polifarmacia innecesaria. Las herramientas de desprescripción pueden contribuir a minimizar los resultados negativos. Por lo tanto, los objetivos del estudio fueron identificar instrumentos validados para la desprescripción de medicamentos inapropiados en pacientes con necesidades de cuidados paliativos y evaluar el impacto en los resultados clínicos, humanísticos y económicos. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática en las bases de datos LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE y WEB OF SCIENCE (hasta mayo de 2021). Se realizó una búsqueda manual en las referencias de los artículos incluidos. La selección, elegibilidad, extracción y evaluación del riesgo de sesgo se llevaron a cabo por dos investigadores independientes. Se aceptó la inclusión de estudios observacionales y experimentales. Resultados: De los 5791 estudios recuperados, después de excluir duplicados (n = 1050), realizar la selección de títulos/resúmenes (n = 4741) y la lectura completa (n = 41), solo un estudio cumplió con los criterios de inclusión. En este estudio incluido, se realizó un ensayo controlado aleatorizado, que mostró un alto nivel de riesgo de sesgo en general. A los adultos de 75 años o más (n = 130) con esperanza de vida limitada y polifarmacia se les asignaron dos grupos [grupo de intervención (desprescripción) y grupo de control (atención habitual)]. Se realizó la desprescripción con la ayuda de la herramienta STOPPFrail. El número promedio de medicamentos inapropiados y los costos mensuales de los medicamentos fueron significativamente más bajos en el grupo de intervención. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en términos de presentaciones hospitalarias no programadas, caídas, fracturas, mortalidad y calidad de vida. Conclusiones: A pesar de la disponibilidad de varias herramientas para apoyar la deprescripción en pacientes con necesidades de cuidados paliativos...(AU)

Instrumentos validados de desprescripción de medicamentos para los pacientes que reciben cuidados paliativos: una revisión sistemática / Validated medication deprescribing instruments for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review

Objectives: Patients with life-limiting illnesses are prone to unnecessary polypharmacy. Deprescribing tools may contribute to minimizing negative outcomes. Thus, the aims of the study were to identify validated instruments for deprescribing inappropriate medications for patients with palliative care needs and to assess the impact on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases (until May 2021). A manual search was performed in the references of enrolled articles. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out by 2 independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. Results: Out of the 5791 studies retrieved, after excluding duplicates (n = 1050), conducting title/abstract screening (n = 4741), and full reading (n = 41), only 1 study met the inclusion criteria. In this included study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted, which showed a high level of bias risk overall. Adults 75 years or older (n = 130) with limited life expectancy and polypharmacy were allocated to 2 groups [intervention arm (deprescribing); and control arm (usual care)]. Deprescribing was performed with the aid of the STOPPFrail tool. The mean number of inappropriate medications and monthly medication costs were significantly lower in the intervention arm. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of unscheduled hospital presentations, falls, fractures, mortality, and quality of life. Conclusions: Despite the availability of several instruments to support deprescribing in patients with palliative care needs, only 1 of them has undergone validation and robust assessment for effectiveness in clinical practice. The STOPPFrail tool appears to reduce the number of inappropriate medications for older people with limited life expectancy (and probably palliative care needs)...(AU)

Objetivo: Los pacientes con enfermedades terminales son propensos a la polifarmacia innecesaria. Las herramientas de desprescripción pueden contribuir a minimizar los resultados negativos. Por lo tanto, los objetivos del estudio fueron identificar instrumentos validados para la desprescripción de medicamentos inapropiados en pacientes con necesidades de cuidados paliativos y evaluar el impacto en los resultados clínicos, humanísticos y económicos. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática en las bases de datos LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE y WEB OF SCIENCE (hasta mayo de 2021). Se realizó una búsqueda manual en las referencias de los artículos incluidos. La selección, elegibilidad, extracción y evaluación del riesgo de sesgo se llevaron a cabo por dos investigadores independientes. Se aceptó la inclusión de estudios observacionales y experimentales. Resultados: De los 5791 estudios recuperados, después de excluir duplicados (n = 1050), realizar la selección de títulos/resúmenes (n = 4741) y la lectura completa (n = 41), solo un estudio cumplió con los criterios de inclusión. En este estudio incluido, se realizó un ensayo controlado aleatorizado, que mostró un alto nivel de riesgo de sesgo en general. A los adultos de 75 años o más (n = 130) con esperanza de vida limitada y polifarmacia se les asignaron dos grupos [grupo de intervención (desprescripción) y grupo de control (atención habitual)]. Se realizó la desprescripción con la ayuda de la herramienta STOPPFrail. El número promedio de medicamentos inapropiados y los costos mensuales de los medicamentos fueron significativamente más bajos en el grupo de intervención. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en términos de presentaciones hospitalarias no programadas, caídas, fracturas, mortalidad y calidad de vida. Conclusiones: A pesar de la disponibilidad de varias herramientas para apoyar la deprescripción en pacientes con necesidades de cuidados paliativos...(AU)

Application of trigger tools for detecting adverse drug events in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify trigger tools applied to detect adverse drug events (ADEs) in older people and describe their utility and performance. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in the PubMed, Lilacs, and Scopus databases (January 2024). Studies that developed, applied, or validated trigger tools and evaluated their utility and/or performance for detecting ADEs in older people were considered. Direct proportion meta-analyses using the inverse-variance method were performed for prevalence of ADEs and positive predictive value (PPV). RESULTS: Twenty-four studies (25 publications) were included. Twelve trigger tools were identified, of which six were developed for detecting ADEs in older population, four developed for general population and modified for older people, and two developed for general population. No tools for detecting ADEs in older people receiving palliative care or hospitalized in intensive or surgical care units were found. The performance of triggers was presented through PPV (11.5-71%), negative predictive values (83.3%), and sensitivity (30-94.8%). The overall PPV was 33.3% (95%CI: 32.5-34.2%). Triggers with good performance were changes in plasma levels of digoxin, glucose, and potassium; changes in international normalized ratio; abrupt medication stop; hypotension; and constipation. The prevalence of ADEs ranged from 2.8 to 66%, with overall prevalence of ADEs of 20% (95%CI: 19.3-20.8%). Preventability ranged from 8.4 to 94.4%. Metabolic or electrolyte disturbances induced by diuretics, constipation induced by opioids, and falls and delirium induced by benzodiazepines were the most prevalent ADEs. CONCLUSION: The trigger tools are flexible and easy to apply, and they can contribute to the detection of ADEs, their associated risk factors, the level of harm, and preventability in different health settings. However, there is no consensus on good or poor values of PPV, which indicate the performance of triggers. Furthermore, there is limited evidence regarding the evaluation of performance through negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity. PROSPERO: CRD42022379893.

A Scoping Review of Pharmacists' and Pharmacy Students' Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes in Medical Emergencies.

OBJECTIVES: Competence can be defined as a set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In a medical emergency scenario, competent pharmacists are increasingly required, mainly as a result of the expansion of professional functions in this context. Therefore, the objective of this study was to map the scientific evidence that shows the development of knowledge and/or skills, and/or attitudes in the training of pharmacists and pharmacy students to work in emergency care. FINDINGS: The scoping review was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases in January 2021, as recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Our study retrieved 6276 files, and 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. It was observed that the studies were developed mainly in the United States of America and addressed the development and/or assessment of knowledge and skills, and training in cardiac emergencies. The most used teaching strategy was simulation, and the most used assessment strategy was feedback and/or debriefing. SUMMARY: Publications involving the development of at least 1 domain of clinical competence have increased in the last decade. Thus, the mapping of studies has provided subsidies for identifying gaps in the teaching-learning process, as well as the identification of methodologies applied in the development and assessment of clinical competence for the referred population.

Validated medication deprescribing instruments for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review

Objectives Patients with life-limiting illnesses are prone to unnecessary polypharmacy. Deprescribing tools may contribute to minimizing negative outcomes. Thus, the aims of the study were to identify validated instruments for deprescribing inappropriate medications for patients with palliative care needs and to assess the impact on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes. Methods A systematic review was conducted in LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases (until May 2021). A manual search was performed in the references of enrolled articles. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out by 2 independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. Results Out of the 5791 studies retrieved, after excluding duplicates (n = 1050), conducting title/abstract screening (n = 4741), and full reading (n = 41), only 1 study met the inclusion criteria. In this included study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted, which showed a high level of bias risk overall. Adults 75 years or older (n = 130) with limited life expectancy and polypharmacy were allocated to 2 groups [intervention arm (deprescribing); and control arm (usual care)]. Deprescribing was performed with the aid of the STOPPFrail tool. The mean number of inappropriate medications and monthly medication costs were significantly lower in the intervention arm. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of unscheduled hospital presentations, falls, fractures, mortality, and quality of life. Conclusions Despite the availability of several instruments to support deprescribing in patients with palliative care needs, only 1 of them has undergone validation and robust assessment for effectiveness in clinical practice. The STOPPFrail tool appears to reduce the number of inappropriate medications for older people with limited life expectancy (and probably palliative care needs) and decrease the monthly costs of pharmacotherapy. Nevertheless, the impact on patient safety and humanistic outcomes remain unclear.

Clinical pharmacy in hospital palliative medicine: non-randomised clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of pharmaceutical care on hospital indicators and clinical outcomes of palliative care (PC) patients admitted to a secondary hospital. METHODS: A non-randomised clinical trial was carried out in the PC ward of a secondary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Pharmaceutical care for all patients aged 18 and above, admitted between October 2021 and March 2022, with stays exceeding 48 hours, was provided. The interventions required were performed in collaboration with healthcare teams, patients and caregivers. Assessments occurred at admission and discharge, using PC performance scales and pharmacotherapy tools, with Research Ethics Committee approval. RESULTS: Over 6 months, 120 hospitalisations were analysed, primarily involving women (58.9%), averaging 71.0 years, with neoplasm diagnoses (20.5%). A total of 170 drug-related problems were identified in 68.3% of patients. Following assessment, 361 interventions were performed, with a 78.1% acceptance rate, including medication dose adjustments, additions and discontinuations. Addressing unintentional pharmacotherapy discrepancies at admission led to reduced hospital stays (p<0.05). Pharmaceutical interventions also decreased pharmacotherapy complexity (p<0.001), inappropriate medications for the older people (p<0.001) and improved symptom management, such as pain (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical care services integrated within the multiprofessional health team contributed to reducing drug-related problems associated with polypharmacy as well as improved the management PC symptoms in end-of-life patients, which reduced hospitalisation time.

Validated medication deprescribing instruments for patients with palliative care needs a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with life-limiting illnesses are prone to unnecessary polypharmacy. Deprescribing tools may contribute to minimizing negative outcomes. Thus, the aims of the study were to identify validated instruments for deprescribing inappropriate medications for patients with palliative care needs and to assess the impact on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases (until May 2021). A manual search was performed in the references of enrolled articles. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out by 2 independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. RESULTS: Out of the 5791 studies retrieved, after excluding duplicates (n = 1050), conducting title/abstract screening (n = 4741), and full reading (n = 41), only 1 study met the inclusion criteria. In this included study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted, which showed a high level of bias risk overall. Adults 75 years or older (n = 130) with limited life expectancy and polypharmacy were allocated to 2 groups [intervention arm (deprescribing); and control arm (usual care)]. Deprescribing was performed with the aid of the STOPPFrail tool. The mean number of inappropriate medications and monthly medication costs were significantly lower in the intervention arm. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of unscheduled hospital presentations, falls, fractures, mortality, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the availability of several instruments to support deprescribing in patients with palliative care needs, only 1 of them has undergone validation and robust assessment for effectiveness in clinical practice. The STOPPFrail tool appears to reduce the number of inappropriate medications for older people with limited life expectancy (and probably palliative care needs) and decrease the monthly costs of pharmacotherapy. Nevertheless, the impact on patient safety and humanistic outcomes remain unclear.

Experiences and strategies adopted for the implementation of pharmaceutical services in hospital geriatric units: A scoping review protocol.

Background: Pharmaceutical care is considered an important pillar for promoting the rational and safe use of medicines. Consequently, it constitutes actions of practices capable of reducing morbidity and mortality induced by pharmacotherapy. On the other hand, pharmaceutical services may face several barriers related to the implementation of these practices. These difficulties are associated with management, availability of an appropriate physical environment, integration with the multidisciplinary team, and acceptance of pharmaceutical interventions by health professionals. Objectives: This study aims to map and summarize the scientific evidence on the experiences and strategies used to implement pharmaceutical services in hospital geriatric units. Methods: The scoping review will be based on three electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science). Studies that met the inclusion criteria and are published by December 2022 will be selected. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and assessment of studies will be carried out by two independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies will be eligible for inclusion. Discussion: The experiences of incorporating pharmaceutical care into geriatric hospital units need to be better disseminated. Our review could support the performance of pharmaceutical care in other geriatric wards and has the potential to be a reference for multidisciplinary training. In addition, the study is related to the global challenge of the World Alliance for Patient Safety as it is a survey that will demonstrate strategies for safety in the use of medicines.

Impact of the insertion of the clinical pharmacist in the Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplantation team.

INTRODUCTION: Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplantation (allo-HSCT) is capable of curing patients with neoplastic or non-neoplastic hematologic disorders or of prolonging their survival. This study assessed if the insertion of the clinical pharmacist in the allo-HSCT team modified the outcomes: transplantation-related mortality, grafting failure, incidence of Graft versus Host Disease, hospitalization time, time for grafting, number of readmissions, number of drug-related problems (DRPs), adherence and knowledge about pharmacotherapy. METHODS: Interventional study with historical control carried out in an allo-HSCT unit, in which the intervention group (IG) included 33 individuals who received pharmacotherapy follow-up. Control Group (CG) consisted of 28 individuals. RESULTS: A total of 250 DRPs were identified, 59 team's doubts were clarified, and 309 interventions were conducted in the IG. The DRPs mainly arose from safety (51.60%) and effectiveness (38.40%) problems. A mean of 9.36 (SD = 6.97) interventions per patient was obtained, mainly including dose reductions (19.09%), adjustments in administration time (18.12%), educational activities (15.21%) and drug removal (10.68%). Clinical significance of the interventions was considered high (75.7% extremely significant, very significant or significant), as well as their acceptability (89.7% accepted). Each patient attended a mean of 4.68 pharmaceutical consultations (SD = 1.91) after hospital discharge, presenting increase in knowledge (p = 0.0001) and in adherence (p = 0.0115). There was no evidence of differences between the groups in the other outcomes analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacotherapy follow-up allowed detecting several DRPs and performing interventions of high clinical relevance and acceptability, in addition to improving adherence and individualizing the pharmacotherapy.

Can pharmacotherapeutic follow-up after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improve medication compliance?

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (allo-HSCT) is currently one of the most effective therapies in onco-hematology. For the treatment of the disease and prevention of such complications, a complex pharmacotherapeutic regimen is employed. Non-compliance is prevalent among adolescents and young adults with chronic hematological diseases, being reported by up to 50% of the patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of pharmacotherapeutic follow-up on medication compliance and on the knowledge about pharmacotherapy of patients who underwent allo-HSCT. METHODS: A single-arm, open-label and non-randomized intervention study developed in an allo-HSCT outpatient clinic. The participants attended pharmaceutical consultations and had their knowledge about pharmacotherapy and medication compliance measured by MedTake and Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 27 patients attended pharmaceutical consultations (4.81 consultations/patient; SD = 1.80). There was an improvement in medication compliance and in knowledge between the first and last consultations (p < 0.05). In the final consultation, 70.37% of the patients showed compliance, with a knowledge rate of 98.35% (SD = 3.63). Non-compliant individuals presented a greater tendency to hospital readmissions. There was no relationship between medication compliance and sociodemographic variables, graft-versus-host disease, and knowledge about pharmacotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacotherapeutic follow-up contributed to improving medication compliance. Knowledge about pharmacotherapy alone does not translate into behaviors, which corroborates the complexity of the biopsychosocial factors associated with medication compliance.

Contribution of Pharmaceutical Care to Person-centered Health Care and the Safety of Pharmacotherapy for Hospitalized Older Individuals in Brazil: An Investigative Single-arm Intervention Trial.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug events (ADE) and medication errors (ME) provide large numbers of victims. Older people are more susceptible to these events, due to the continuing search for several chronic degenerative disease treatments. The Third Global Patient Safety Challenge announced the objective of reducing unnecessary polypharmacy, encouraging deprescription, and aiming to ensure the prescription of medications in an appropriate manner, based on the best evidence and taking into account the individual factors of people. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Pharmaceutical Care (PC), when inserted in a geriatric ward and the context of person-centered health care, cooperates with the safety of pharmacotherapy in older individuals in Brazil. METHODS: This is an investigative, single-arm, preliminary study. INCLUSION CRITERIA: individuals aged ≥60 years and admitted to the geriatric ward between August 2019 to January 2020. The PC (with the practice of pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, medication reconciliation, and pharmacotherapy review) was made available to identify ADE and ME, as well as the associated factors and clinical outcomes, were analyzed. RESULTS: 60 participants were included. It was found that, on hospital admission, 93.3% of them were polymedicated and 86.7% had a history of using potentially inappropriate medications (PIM). ADE and ME were detected in 43 individuals (71.7%) and, in total, 115 incidents were identified, with drugs that act on the nervous system associated with them (31.9%). Acceptance of the PC's recommendations reached the rate of 85.2%. Polypharmacy (p=0.03) and the presence of multiple diseases (p=0.03) had an effect on the presentation of ADE and ME. The number of medications in use decreased in the comparison between admission and hospital discharge (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This investigative study indicated that ADE and ME are linked to the polypharmacy in use at the beginning of hospitalization. On the other hand, we showed that the PC (inserted in the multidisciplinary team) contributed to the deprescribing of medications at hospital discharge. Therefore, the PC can provide improvements in this scenario.

Validated medication deprescribing instruments for patients with palliative care needs: a systematic review

Patients with life-limiting illnesses are prone to unnecessary polypharmacy. Deprescribing tools may contribute to minimizing negative outcomes. Thus, the aims of the study were to identify validated instruments for deprescribing inappropriate medications for patients with palliative care needs and to assess the impact on clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes. Methods A systematic review was conducted in LILACS, PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, and WEB OF SCIENCE databases (until May 2021). A manual search was performed in the references of enrolled articles. The screening, eligibility, extraction, and bias risk assessment were carried out by 2 independent researchers. Experimental and observational studies were eligible for inclusion. Results Out of the 5791 studies retrieved, after excluding duplicates (n = 1050), conducting title/abstract screening (n = 4741), and full reading (n = 41), only 1 study met the inclusion criteria. In this included study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted, which showed a high level of bias risk overall. Adults 75 years or older (n = 130) with limited life expectancy and polypharmacy were allocated to 2 groups [intervention arm (deprescribing); and control arm (usual care)]. Deprescribing was performed with the aid of the STOPPFrail tool. The mean number of inappropriate medications and monthly medication costs were significantly lower in the intervention arm. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of unscheduled hospital presentations, falls, fractures, mortality, and quality of life. Conclusions Despite the availability of several instruments to support deprescribing in patients with palliative care needs, only 1 of them has undergone validation and robust assessment for effectiveness in clinical practice. The STOPPFrail tool appears to reduce the number of inappropriate medications for older people with limited life expectancy (and probably palliative care needs) and decrease the monthly costs of pharmacotherapy. Nevertheless, the impact on patient safety and humanistic outcomes remain unclear.

[Central nervous system adverse events potentially associated with drugs used for COVID-19: scoping reviewEventos adversos en el sistema nervioso central potencialmente relacionados con los medicamentos para tratar la COVID-19: revisión exploratoria]. / Eventos adversos no sistema nervoso central potencialmente relacionados aos medicamentos utilizados na COVID-19: revisão de escopo.

Objective: To identify central nervous system (CNS) adverse events potentially associated with prophylaxis or drug treatment for COVID-19, and to describe the characteristic of the individuals affected. Methods: A scoping review was performed using a search strategy to retrieve articles from PubMed, EMBASE, SciELO, Scopus, CINAHL and BVS databases. Studies reporting on individuals receiving prophylactic or curative drugs for COVID-19 with at least one CNS adverse event were included. Articles reporting on CNS adverse events associated with medication for other health conditions were excluded. Results: The search retrieved 1 547 articles, eight of which met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies had an observational design. A total of 3 035 individuals were assessed, of whom 1 701 were health care professionals and 1 978 were women. Curative treatment with hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and azithromycin was the most frequent (n = 5). The most common adverse events were headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, and drowsiness. Suicide was the most frequent severe event. Six adverse events were unexpected for hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, and doxycycline. Conclusion: Potential CNS adverse events were unspecific and in general potentially associated with the use of hydroxychloroquine (monotherapy or associated with antibiotics). The data confirm the unfavorable risk/benefit profile of these drugs for the prevention and management of signs and symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Objetivo: Identificar los eventos adversos en el sistema nervioso central (SNC) potencialmente relacionados con el uso de medicamentos empleados para profilaxis o tratamiento de la COVID-19, y caracterizar a las personas afectadas. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión exploratoria a partir de una estrategia de búsqueda en las bases de datos PubMed, EMBASE, SciELO, Scopus, Cummulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) y la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud (BVS). Se incluyeron estudios de personas que emplearon medicamentos con fines profilácticos o curativos para la COVID-19 y presentaron al menos un evento adverso en el SNC. Se excluyeron los artículos en los cuales se notificaron eventos adversos en el SNC potencialmente relacionados con medicamentos para tratar otros problemas de salud. Resultados: Se recuperaron 1 547 artículos, de los cuales ocho cumplieron con los criterios de admisibilidad. Siete estudios tuvieron un diseño observacional. Se analizaron 3 035 personas, de las cuales 1 701 eran profesionales de salud y 1 978, mujeres. El tratamiento más utilizado fue el curativo (n = 5), con hidroxicloroquina, cloroquina, lopinavir/ritonavir y azitromicina. Los eventos adversos comúnmente citados fueron dolor de cabeza, mareos, trastornos del estado de ánimo y somnolencia. El suicidio fue el evento grave más frecuente. Seis eventos inesperados (mioclonías, temblor, trastorno de la marcha, disgeusia, hiperhidrosis y desasosiego) guardaron relación con el empleo de hidroxicloroquina, cloroquina y doxiciclina. Conclusión: Los eventos adversos del SNC fueron inespecíficos y, en general, posiblemente estuvieron relacionados con el uso de hidroxicloroquina (sola o combinada) para el tratamiento curativo de la COVID-19. Los datos corroboran la relación desfavorable de riesgo/beneficio de esos medicamentos en la prevención y el manejo de los signos y síntomas de la infección por el SARS-CoV-2.

Eventos adversos no sistema nervoso central potencialmente relacionados aos medicamentos utilizados na COVID-19: revisão de escopo

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. Identificar eventos adversos no sistema nervoso central (SNC) potencialmente associados ao uso de medicamentos para profilaxia ou tratamento da COVID-19, bem como caracterizar os indivíduos acometidos. Métodos. Desenvolveu-se uma revisão de escopo a partir de estratégia de busca nas bases de dados PubMed, EMBASE, SciELO, Scopus, Cummulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS). Foram incluídos estudos com indivíduos que utilizaram medicamentos como medida profilática ou curativa para COVID-19 e que apresentaram ao menos um evento adverso no SNC. Foram excluídos os artigos que reportaram eventos adversos no SNC potencialmente associados a medicamentos para outras condições de saúde. Resultados. Recuperaram-se 1 547 artigos, dos quais oito atenderam aos critérios de elegibilidade. Em sete estudos, o desenho foi do tipo observacional. Foram analisados 3 035 indivíduos, dos quais 1 701 eram pro- fissionais da saúde e 1 978, mulheres. A terapia mais utilizada foi a curativa (n = 5), com hidroxicloroquina, cloroquina, lopinavir/ritonavir e azitromicina. Os eventos adversos comumente descritos foram dor de cabeça, tontura, distúrbios de humor e sonolência. Suicídio foi o evento grave mais frequente. Seis eventos foram ines- perados para hidroxicloroquina, cloroquina e doxiciclina (mioclonias, tremor, distúrbio de marcha, disgeusia, hiperidrose e inquietação). Conclusão. Os eventos adversos no SNC foram inespecíficos e, geralmente, potencialmente associados ao uso de hidroxicloroquina em monoterapia ou em associação para tratamento curativo da COVID-19. Os dados corroboram a relação desfavorável de risco/benefício desses medicamentos na prevenção e no manejo dos sinais e sintomas da infecção por SARS-CoV-2.

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. To identify central nervous system (CNS) adverse events potentially associated with prophylaxis or drug treatment for COVID-19, and to describe the characteristic of the individuals affected. Methods. A scoping review was performed using a search strategy to retrieve articles from PubMed, EMBASE, SciELO, Scopus, CINAHL and BVS databases. Studies reporting on individuals receiving prophylactic or cura- tive drugs for COVID-19 with at least one CNS adverse event were included. Articles reporting on CNS adverse events associated with medication for other health conditions were excluded. Results. The search retrieved 1 547 articles, eight of which met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies had an observational design. A total of 3 035 individuals were assessed, of whom 1 701 were health care professio- nals and 1 978 were women. Curative treatment with hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and azithromycin was the most frequent (n = 5). The most common adverse events were headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, and drowsiness. Suicide was the most frequent severe event. Six adverse events were unexpected for hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, and doxycycline. Conclusion. Potential CNS adverse events were unspecific and in general potentially associated with the use of hydroxychloroquine (monotherapy or associated with antibiotics). The data confirm the unfavorable risk/benefit profile of these drugs for the prevention and management of signs and symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. Identificar los eventos adversos en el sistema nervioso central (SNC) potencialmente relacionados con el uso de medicamentos empleados para profilaxis o tratamiento de la COVID-19, y caracterizar a las personas afectadas. Métodos. Se realizó una revisión exploratoria a partir de una estrategia de búsqueda en las bases de datos PubMed, EMBASE, SciELO, Scopus, Cummulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) y la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud (BVS). Se incluyeron estudios de personas que emplearon medicamentos con fines profilácticos o curativos para la COVID-19 y presentaron al menos un evento adverso en el SNC. Se excluyeron los artículos en los cuales se notificaron eventos adversos en el SNC potencialmente relacionados con medicamentos para tratar otros problemas de salud. Resultados. Se recuperaron 1 547 artículos, de los cuales ocho cumplieron con los criterios de admisibi- lidad. Siete estudios tuvieron un diseño observacional. Se analizaron 3 035 personas, de las cuales 1 701 eran profesionales de salud y 1 978, mujeres. El tratamiento más utilizado fue el curativo (n = 5), con hidro- xicloroquina, cloroquina, lopinavir/ritonavir y azitromicina. Los eventos adversos comúnmente citados fueron dolor de cabeza, mareos, trastornos del estado de ánimo y somnolencia. El suicidio fue el evento grave más frecuente. Seis eventos inesperados (mioclonías, temblor, trastorno de la marcha, disgeusia, hiperhidrosis y desasosiego) guardaron relación con el empleo de hidroxicloroquina, cloroquina y doxiciclina. Conclusión. Los eventos adversos del SNC fueron inespecíficos y, en general, posiblemente estuvieron rela- cionados con el uso de hidroxicloroquina (sola o combinada) para el tratamiento curativo de la COVID-19. Los datos corroboran la relación desfavorable de riesgo/beneficio de esos medicamentos en la prevención y el manejo de los signos y síntomas de la infección por el SARS-CoV-2.

Protocol for the implementation of pharmaceutical care in geriatrics: strategy for safety in health care.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience of the implementation of pharmaceutical care in a geriatric hospital unit and to propose an instructional protocol for the practice. METHODS: Experience report that became the practice manual of pharmaceutical care in geriatrics (MaP-CFarmaGeri) of a Brazilian hospital and was structured in three topics (1. Situational diagnosis; 2. Adequacy of the procedure and service provision; 3. Practice exercise). RESULTS: The situational diagnosis comprised the collection of data on the structure of the ward and the epidemiological profile. The pharmaceutical services provided included pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, medication reconciliation and pharmacotherapy review. The certification of the content of this procedure was attested by specialists from a multiprofessional team and the technique served more than 60 patients in practice, with good acceptance by the participants. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The MaP-CFarmaGeri proved to be a satisfactory strategy in the implementation of pharmaceutical care in geriatrics and can support this insertion in similar locations.

Deficiency and Insufficiency of Vitamin D in Women of Childbearing Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis / Deficiência e insuficiência de vitamina D em mulheres na idade reprodutiva: Uma revisão sistemática e meta-análise

Abstract Objective To estimate the prevalence of inadequate vitamin D level and its associated factors for women of childbearing age in Brazil. Methods A systematic reviewwas conducted (last updatedMay 2020).Meta-analyses were performed using the inverse-variance for fixed models with summary proportion calculation by Freeman-Tukey double arcsine. Reporting and methodological quality were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. Results Our review identified 31 studies, comprising 4,006 participants. All the studies had at least one weakness, mainly due to the use of convenience sampling and small sample size. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and both deficiency and insufficiency were 35% (confidence interval, 95%CI: 34-37%), 42% (95%CI: 41-44%), and 72% (95%CI: 71-74%), respectively. Conclusion Although the magnitude of the prevalence of inadequate levels of vitamin D is uncertain, the evidence suggests that presence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in women of reproductive age can cause moderate to severe problems.

Resumo Objetivo Estimar a prevalência de níveis inadequados de vitamina D e seus fatores associados para mulheres em idade fértil no Brasil. Métodos Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada (última atualização em maio de 2020). As meta-análises foram realizadas usando o inverso da variância para o modelo fixo com cálculo de proporção sumarizada por transformação arco-seno duplo de Freeman-Tukey. A qualidade metodológica e de reporte foi avaliada usando a ferramenta do Joanna Briggs Institute para estudos de prevalência. Resultados Nossa revisão identificou 31 estudos, compreendendo 4.006 participantes. Todos os estudos apresentaram pelo menos uma limitação, principalmente devido ao uso de amostra de conveniência e tamanho amostral pequeno. As prevalências gerais de deficiência, insuficiência e deficiência de vitamina D foram 35% (intervalo de confiança, IC 95%: 34-37%), 42% (IC 95%: 41-44%) e 72% (IC 95%: 71-74%), respectivamente. Conclusão Embora a magnitude da prevalência de níveis inadequados de vitamina D seja incerta, a evidência sugere que presença de deficiência ou insuficiência de vitamina D em mulheres em idade reprodutiva pode causar problemas moderados a graves.

Deficiency and Insufficiency of Vitamin D in Women of Childbearing Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of inadequate vitamin D level and its associated factors for women of childbearing age in Brazil. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted (last updated May 2020). Meta-analyses were performed using the inverse-variance for fixed models with summary proportion calculation by Freeman-Tukey double arcsine. Reporting and methodological quality were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. RESULTS: Our review identified 31 studies, comprising 4,006 participants. All the studies had at least one weakness, mainly due to the use of convenience sampling and small sample size. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and both deficiency and insufficiency were 35% (confidence interval, 95%CI: 34-37%), 42% (95%CI: 41-44%), and 72% (95%CI: 71-74%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the magnitude of the prevalence of inadequate levels of vitamin D is uncertain, the evidence suggests that presence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in women of reproductive age can cause moderate to severe problems.

OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de níveis inadequados de vitamina D e seus fatores associados para mulheres em idade fértil no Brasil. MéTODOS: Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada (última atualização em maio de 2020). As meta-análises foram realizadas usando o inverso da variância para o modelo fixo com cálculo de proporção sumarizada por transformação arco-seno duplo de Freeman-Tukey. A qualidade metodológica e de reporte foi avaliada usando a ferramenta do Joanna Briggs Institute para estudos de prevalência. RESULTADOS: Nossa revisão identificou 31 estudos, compreendendo 4.006 participantes. Todos os estudos apresentaram pelo menos uma limitação, principalmente devido ao uso de amostra de conveniência e tamanho amostral pequeno. As prevalências gerais de deficiência, insuficiência e deficiência de vitamina D foram 35% (intervalo de confiança, IC 95%: 34­37%), 42% (IC 95%: 41­44%) e 72% (IC 95%: 71­74%), respectivamente. CONCLUSãO: Embora a magnitude da prevalência de níveis inadequados de vitamina D seja incerta, a evidência sugere que presença de deficiência ou insuficiência de vitamina D em mulheres em idade reprodutiva pode causar problemas moderados a graves.

Hospitalizations of older people in an emergency department related to potential medication-induced hyperactive delirium: a cross-sectional study.

Background Although delirium is one of the most common adverse drug reactions observed in hospitalized older people, it remains underdiagnosed. Aim To estimate the prevalence of hospitalization of older people with potential medication-induced hyperactive delirium in the emergency department (ED); to identify the risk factors and the medicines frequently associated with the occurrence of the syndrome. Method A cross-sectional, retrospective study was performed with older people (age ≥ 60) admitted in 2018 to a Brazilian ED. The hospitalizations with suspected hyperactive delirium were screened with the aid of trigger-tools: International Code of Diseases-10th Revision, intra-hospital prescriptions of antipsychotics, and trigger-words related to the syndrome. A chart-review and medication review were developed to establish the causality assessment between adverse event and medicine. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for occurrence. Results Among the hospitalizations included, 67.5% (193/286) were screened by at least one trigger-tool. Of these, potential medication-induced hyperactive delirium was observed in 26.0% (50/193). The prevalence estimated in the ward was 17.5% (50/286). Opioids (31.9%), benzodiazepines (18.8%) and corticosteroids (10.6%) were the commonest medicines associated with delirium. Long-lived patients (p = 0.005), potentially inappropriate medicines (PIMs) (p = 0.025), and high weighted deliriogenic load (p = 0.014) were associated with potential medication-induced hyperactive delirium. Conclusion Approximately one in six hospitalizations of older people in the ED showed potential medication-induced hyperactive delirium. Data suggest PIMs and high weighted deliriogenic load, rather than polypharmacy or anticholinergic burden, are considered the most important characteristics of pharmacotherapy associated with avoidable hyperactive delirium among long-lived patients.