Tools for Evaluating Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults: A Scoping Review Assessing Suitability for Register-Based Research.

Abstract

This scoping review provides an overview of tools used to assess potentially inappropriate prescribing among older adults and discusses their suitability for register-based research. We performed a systematic search using PubMed (March 2024), retrieving 5493 records. Studies were included if they evaluated potentially inappropriate medication use among older adults with a mean or median age of ≥ 65 years. Identified tools were described by characteristics, usage frequency, and applicability to register-based research by identifying required data types. A total of 419 studies were included, using 44 different tools, including multiple versions. Beers criteria and the Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions were most often used (50% and 19%, respectively). Ten tools were used in five or more studies, each differing in structure, particularly regarding the clinical information required. The European list of potentially inappropriate medications, the PRISCUS list, the Zhan criteria, and the Norwegian General Practice criteria do not require clinical data on medical history, symptoms, laboratory tests or other parameters, making them particularly useful for register-based research. Specific segments of other tools can also be applied effectively. To generate valid and meaningful results, the availability of required data is a crucial consideration for researchers when selecting the most appropriate tool.