Common causes and characteristics of adverse drug reactions in older adults: a retrospective study

Aging populations are often accompanied by comorbidity and polypharmacy, leading to increases in adverse drug reactions (ADRs). We sought to evaluate the causes and characteristics of ADRs in older Korean adults (≥65 years) in comparison to younger individuals (< 65 years).

Of 37,523 cases reported at a Korean pharmacovigilance center from 2011 to 2018, we reviewed 18,842 ADRs of certain or probable causality on the basis of WHO-UMC criteria. We estimated the number of ADRs per 1000 patients exposed to the major culprit drugs, and incidence rate ratios were obtained to assess high- and low-risk medications in older adults.

In total, 4152 (22.0%) ADRs were reported for 3437 older adults (mean age, 74.6 years and 57.3% female). Tramadol (rate ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.44; P < 0.001) and fentanyl (1.49, 1.16-1.92, P = 0.002) posed higher risks of ADRs in the older adults, whereas nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (0.35, 0.30-0.40, P < 0.001) and iodinated contrast media (ICM) (0.82, 0.76-0.89, P < 0.001) posed lower risks. Ratios of serious ADRs to NSAIDs (odds ratio, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.48-3.15; P < 0.001) and ICM (2.09, 1.36-3.21, P = 0.001) were higher in the older adults than in the younger patients. Analgesics primarily elicited cutaneous ADRs in the younger patients and gastrointestinal reactions in the older adults. ICM more commonly led to anaphylaxis in the older adults than the younger patients (3.0% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.019).

For early detection of ADRs in older adults, better understanding of differences in the causes and characteristics thereof in comparison to the general population is needed.