Potential prescribing omissions may have no influence on cause of death in care‐dependent older adults with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube.

Aim: Studies of medication use in patients with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube have not been conducted adequately. The aim of this study was to describe medication use of care‐dependent older adults with PEG and evaluate whether potential prescribing omissions (PPO) would affect the cause of death or acute illness. Methods: In a geriatric long‐term care hospital, 116 inpatients aged ≥65 years with insertion of a PEG tube because of dysphagia were enrolled and followed for 2 years: 2016–2018. The patients were divided into two groups, i.e., group A (who died between 2016 and 2018) and group B (who continued to be hospitalized in 2018). Clinical data and prescribed medications were recorded. Logistic regression models were conducted to assess the associations between survival and variables: age, gender, serum albumin level, serum creatinine level, body mass index (BMI), number of drugs and PPO. Results: The patients' mean age was 85.3 ± 10.2 years, 57.8% were women and the mean number of drugs was 6.8 ± 3.5. Medications for managing symptoms, such as constipation and gastrointestinal symptoms, were commonly prescribed. The most common PPO medications were antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants. On logistic regression analysis, PPO had no influence on the cause of death or acute illness. Lower age, higher serum albumin level and body mass index were associated with survival in both univariate and multivariate models. Conclusions: Polypharmacy was prevalent in patients with PEG. Given the finding that PPO had no influence on health outcome, rational deprescribing could be warranted. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 961–966. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]