Majda Koubaity1, Anne-Sophie Lechon1, Karim Amighi1, Marc Van Nuffelen2, Michel Moreau3, Anne-Pascale Meert4, Carine De Vriese5. 1. Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, CP 205/07, Access 2, Campus de la Plaine, Building BC, 1050, Brussels, Belgium. 2. Department of Intensive Care and Emergency, Erasme Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. 3. Department of Information Management Unit (UGI), Institute Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, Intensive Care Unit and Oncology Emergency, Institute Jules Bordet, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. 5. Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, CP 205/07, Access 2, Campus de la Plaine, Building BC, 1050, Brussels, Belgium. cdevries@ulb.ac.be.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: There are about 60,000 diagnoses of cancer per year in Belgium. After hospital care, about 12-13% of cancer patients are readmitted within 30 days after discharge. These readmissions are partly related to drug-related problems (DRP), such as interactions or adverse drug effects (ADE). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to quantify and to classify DRP readmissions within 30 days for cancer patients and to highlight risk factors potentially correlated to readmissions. METHODS: This study is a 6-month observational retrospective study in two care facilities in Brussels: an academic general hospital and an academic oncology center. Patients readmitted within 30 days after their last hospital care for a potential DRP were included. Patient files were evaluated with an intermediate medication review that included interactions analysis (Lexicomp®). The probability of DRP readmission was assessed using the World Health Organization's Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) system. RESULTS: The final population included 299 patients; among them, 123 (41.1%) were readmitted due to DRP (certain DRP (4.9%), probable DRP (49.6%), and possible DRP (45.5%)). Risks factors linked to these DRP were a low Charlson Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy, the kind of hospital, and some chemotherapies (platinum preparations). Among all readmitted patients, the D-type interactions were the most common (44.8%), which suggest a possible therapy modification. However, around 10% of interactions were X-type (drug combination to avoid). CONCLUSION: Almost 10% of patient readmitted within 30 days were potentially related to a DRP, most of them from adverse drug effects. Four risk factors (low Charlson Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy, the hospital, and some chemotherapies) were highlighted to prevent these readmissions.
INTRODUCTION: There are about 60,000 diagnoses of cancer per year in Belgium. After hospital care, about 12-13% of cancerpatients are readmitted within 30 days after discharge. These readmissions are partly related to drug-related problems (DRP), such as interactions or adverse drug effects (ADE). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to quantify and to classify DRP readmissions within 30 days for cancerpatients and to highlight risk factors potentially correlated to readmissions. METHODS: This study is a 6-month observational retrospective study in two care facilities in Brussels: an academic general hospital and an academic oncology center. Patients readmitted within 30 days after their last hospital care for a potential DRP were included. Patient files were evaluated with an intermediate medication review that included interactions analysis (Lexicomp®). The probability of DRP readmission was assessed using the World Health Organization's Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) system. RESULTS: The final population included 299 patients; among them, 123 (41.1%) were readmitted due to DRP (certain DRP (4.9%), probable DRP (49.6%), and possible DRP (45.5%)). Risks factors linked to these DRP were a low Charlson Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy, the kind of hospital, and some chemotherapies (platinum preparations). Among all readmitted patients, the D-type interactions were the most common (44.8%), which suggest a possible therapy modification. However, around 10% of interactions were X-type (drug combination to avoid). CONCLUSION: Almost 10% of patient readmitted within 30 days were potentially related to a DRP, most of them from adverse drug effects. Four risk factors (low Charlson Comorbidity Index, polypharmacy, the hospital, and some chemotherapies) were highlighted to prevent these readmissions.