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Table 4 Summary of findings for the main outcomes using the GRADE methodology

From: Anti-hypertensive drugs deprescribing: an updated systematic review of clinical trials

Certainty assessment

Number of patients

Effect

Certainty

№ of studies

Study design

Risk of bias

Inconsistency

Indirectness

Imprecision

Other considerations

Anti-hypertensives withdrawal

Anti-hypertensives continuation

Relative (95% CI)

Absolute (95% CI)

 

Number of patients with systolic blood pressure < 150 mmHg (mean follow up: 12 weeks)

1 [21]

Open label RCT

Serious

Not serious

Not serious

Not serious

None

229/265 (86.4%)

236/269 (87.7%)

RR 0.98 (0.92 to 1.05)

18 fewer per 1000 (70 fewer to 44 more)

MODERATE

Quality of life (mean follow up: 12 weeks; assessed with: EQ-5D-5L Index)

1 [21]

Open label RCT

Serious

Not serious

Not serious

Not serious

None

260

263

MD 0.01 lower (0.03 lower to 0.01 higher)

MODERATE

Frailty (assessed with: Frailty Index)

1 [21]

Open label RCT

Serious

Not serious

Not serious

Not serious

None

282

287

MD 0.00003 lower (0.0005 lower to 0.005 higher)

MODERATE

Cardiovascular risk

1 [22]

Open label RCT

Serious

Not serious

Not serious

Not serious

None

492

575

MD 0.1 higher (0.4 lower to 0.7 lower)

MODERATE

  1. Abbreviations: CI Confidence interval; RCT randomized controlled trial; RR Risk ratio; MD Mean difference