Table 4. Changes in rate of high-risk prescribing to participants in SPACE versus control practices at 6 and 12 months
Baseline6-month n/N (%)12-month n/N (%)OR (6 months)a(95% CI) P valueOR (12 months)a (95% CI) P value
SPACEControlSPACEControlSPACEControl
Primary outcome
Combined risk factorb 828/11 658 (7.1%)651/10 209 (6.4%)638/11 005 (5.8%)537/9644 (5.6%)538/9453 (5.7%)419/9199 (4.6%)0.99 (0.87–1.13)0.91.29(1.11–1.49)0.001
Secondary outcomes
Gastrointestinal427/8711 (4.9%)334/7465 (4.5%)313/7894 (4.0%)301/6782 (4.4%)232/5046 (4.6%)208/4489 (4.6%)0.81 (0.68–0.96)0.020.91(0.74–1.11)0.4
Renal503/6268 (8.0%)372/5588 (6.7%)365/5124 (7.1%)262/4477 (5.9%)314/4318 (7.3%)208/3988 (5.2%)1.16 (0.96–1.39)0.11.35(1.10–1.65)0.004
Heart failure21/613 (3.4%)29/627 (4.6%)19/557 (3.4%)14/558 (2.5%)17/441 (3.9%)20/508 (3.9%)1.84 (0.87–3.89)0.10.89(0.44–1.78)0.7
  • aAdjusted for clustering by practice. bGastrointestinal, renal, or cardiac ‘high-risk’ prescribing of NSAIDs and/or anticoagulant medication. OR = odds ratio. SPACE = Safer Prescribing and Care for the Elderly.