Accuracy of Observer-Rated Measurement Scales for Depression Assessment in Patients with Major Neurocognitive Disorders Residing in Long-Term Care Centers: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Depression is often under-detected in long-term care (LTC) patients with major neurocognitive disorders (MNCD) and is associated with important morbidity, mortality, and costs. Observer-rated outcome measures (ObsROMs) could help resolve this problematic; however, evidence on their accuracy is scattered in the literature. This systematic review aimed at summarizing this evidence. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in 7 databases using keywords, MeSHs, and bibliographic searches. We included studies published before January 2022 and reporting on the accuracy of a depression ObsROM used in LTC patients with MNCD. Data extraction, analysis, synthesis, and study methodological quality assessments were done by two authors, and discrepancies were resolved by consensus. RESULTS: Among 9,660 articles retrieved, 8 studies reporting on 11 depression measures were included. Scales were classified as patient-reported outcome measures used as Obs-ROMs or true ObsROMs. Among the first category, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) performed best (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.73-0.87), although both presented with low positive predictive values and high negative predictive values. Among the second category, the Nursing Homes Short Depression Inventory (NH-SDI) performed best, with an AUC of 0.93 and ≥85% sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. CONCLUSION: The CSDD and MADRS may be useful to rule out depression in LTC patients with MNCD, whereas the NH-SDI may be useful to rule in and out depression within this same population. Before recommending their use, adequately powered studies to further examine their accuracy in different contexts are necessary.

A pharmacist-physician intervention model using a computerized alert system to reduce high-risk medication use in primary care.

PURPOSE: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) have been associated with a greater risk of adverse drug events and hospitalizations. To reduce PIMs use, a family health team (FHT) implemented a knowledge translation (KT) strategy that included a pharmacist-physician intervention model based on alerts from a computerized alert system (CAS). METHODS: Our pragmatic, single-site, pilot study was conducted in an FHT clinic in Quebec, Canada. We included community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years), with at least 1 alert for selected PIMs and a medical appointment during the study period. PIMs were selected from the Beers and STOPP criteria. The primary outcome was PIMs cessation, decreased dose, or replacement. The secondary outcome was the clinical relevance of the alerts as assessed by the pharmacists. RESULTS: During the 134 days of the study, the CAS screened 369 individuals leading to the identification of 65 (18%) patients with at least 1 new alert. For those 65 patients, the mean age was 77 years, men accounted for 29% of the group and 55% were prescribed 10 or more drugs. One or more clinically relevant alerts were generated for 27 of 65 included patients for an overall clinical relevance of the alerts of 42%. Of the 27 patients with at least 1 relevant alert, 17 (63%) had at least 1 medication change as suggested by the pharmacist. CONCLUSION: An interdisciplinary pharmacist-physician intervention model, based on alerts generated by a CAS, reduced the use of PIMs in community-dwelling older adults followed by an FHT.