Optimising prescribing in older adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy in primary care (OPTICA): cluster randomised clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of a primary care medication review intervention centred around an electronic clinical decision support system (eCDSS) on appropriateness of medication and the number of prescribing omissions in older adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy compared with a discussion about medication in line with usual care. DESIGN: Cluster randomised clinical trial. SETTING: Swiss primary care, between December 2018 and February 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible patients were ≥65 years of age with three or more chronic conditions and five or more long term medications. INTERVENTION: The intervention to optimise pharmacotherapy centred around an eCDSS was conducted by general practitioners, followed by shared decision making between general practitioners and patients, and was compared with a discussion about medication in line with usual care between patients and general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were improvement in the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI) and the Assessment of Underutilisation (AOU) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included number of medications, falls, fractures, and quality of life. RESULTS: In 43 general practitioner clusters, 323 patients were recruited (median age 77 (interquartile range 73-83) years; 45% (n=146) women). Twenty one general practitioners with 160 patients were assigned to the intervention group and 22 general practitioners with 163 patients to the control group. On average, one recommendation to stop or start a medication was reported to be implemented per patient. At 12 months, the results of the intention-to-treat analysis of the improvement in appropriateness of medication (odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 1.87) and the number of prescribing omissions (0.90, 0.41 to 1.96) were inconclusive. The same was the case for the per protocol analysis. No clear evidence was found for a difference in safety outcomes at the 12 month follow-up, but fewer safety events were reported in the intervention group than in the control group at six and 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomised trial of general practitioners and older adults, the results were inconclusive as to whether the medication review intervention centred around the use of an eCDSS led to an improvement in appropriateness of medication or a reduction in prescribing omissions at 12 months compared with a discussion about medication in line with usual care. Nevertheless, the intervention could be safely delivered without causing any harm to patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03724539Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03724539.

Histopathologic Evaluation of Intralabyrinthine Schwannoma.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to perform a histopathologic analysis of temporal bones with an intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS) in order to characterize its extension. METHODS: Archival temporal bones with a diagnosis of sporadic schwannoma were identified. Both symptomatic and occult nonoperated ILS were included for further analysis. RESULTS: A total of 6 ILS were identified, with 4 intracochlear and 2 intravestibular schwannomas. All intracochlear schwannomas involved the osseous spiral lamina, with 2 extending into the modiolus. The intravestibular schwannomas were limited to the vestibule, but growth into the bone next to the crista of the lateral semicircular canal was observed in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Complete removal of an ILS may require partial removal of the modiolus or bone surrounding the crista ampullaris as an ILS may extend into these structures, risking damage of the neuronal structures. Due to the slow growth of the ILS, it remains unclear if a complete resection is required with the risk of destroying neural structures hindering hearing rehabilitation with a cochlear implant.