Malone 2001.
| Methods | Randomised trial | |
| Participants | Patients at high risk for medication‐related problems (≥ 3 of following criteria: (1) > 5 medications, (2) > 12 doses a day, (3) > 3 chronic medical conditions, (4) > 4 changes to medication regimen over past year, (5) taking < 80% of medications based on pharmacy refill records, (6) taking medication requiring therapeutic monitoring
Patients: 1054 (intervention 523; control 531)
Health professional (delivering intervention): 78
Practice: 9 Ambulatory care clinics in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers USA Year of study: Not stated. |
|
| Interventions | Pharmacist reviewed medical records, performed physical assessment and laboratory tests to assess appropriateness of medication therapy, modified therapy as necessary, educated patients, and made referrals to other health professionals, vs usual care Length of the intervention: > 15 minutes for > 73% of patient contacts Number of interventions: mean of 3.5 during 12 months | |
| Outcomes | Cholesterol Health‐related quality of life using SF‐36 questionnaire |
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| Notes | Funding source: Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc, under the direction of the VA/Pharmacia & Upjohn Steering Committee. Conflict of interest: Not stated |
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| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Potential subjects for the study were identified and randomised by the central co‐ordinating centre at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | Quote: "randomised by a central coordinating centre" |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All Outcomes/Outcome 1 | Low risk | Unblinded, but participants saw different personnel. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All Outcomes/Outcome 1 | Low risk | Unblinded, but lipid level measurement is an objective outcome. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | Between group attrition < 10%. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | Main outcomes reported |
| Other bias | Low risk | None |