title: A pilot randomized controlled trial of deprescribing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polypharmacy and adverse drug reactions are frequent and important among older people. Few clinical trials have evaluated systematic withdrawal of medications among older people. This small, open, study was conducted to determine the feasibility of a randomized controlled deprescribing trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten volunteers living in the community (recruited by media advertising) and 25 volunteers living in residential aged-care facilities (RCFs) were randomized to intervention or control groups. The intervention was gradual withdrawal of one target medication. The primary outcome was the number of intervention participants in whom medication withdrawal could be achieved. Other outcomes measures were quality of life, medication adherence, sleep quality, and cognitive impairment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants were aged 80 ± 11 years and were taking 9 ± 2 medications. Fifteen participants commenced medication withdrawal and all ceased or reduced the dose of their target medication. Two subjects withdrew; one was referred for clinical review, and one participant declined further dose reductions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A randomized controlled trial of deprescribing was acceptable to participants. Recruitment in RCFs is feasible. Definitive trials of deprescribing are required.
authors.affiliation: WA Centre for Health and Ageing, School of Medicine and Pharmacology and Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, and Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Level 6 Ainslie House, GPO Box X2213, Perth, WA 6847, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Poh-Kooi
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Royal Perth Hospital Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Yan Gee
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia and Department of Internal Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Alasdair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Millar
keywords: ageing; deprescribing; polypharmacy prescriptions; treatment withdrawal
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