Strengths and limitations
This is the first systematic review to investigate deprescribing interventions within specialist outpatient clinics. However, this review was limited to studies in English and those published after 1990. The broad search strategy needed to capture all relevant trials yielded a high number of initial results.
Due to significant heterogeneity between trials, a meta-analysis could not be completed. Conclusions on the efficacy of interventions conducted within this setting could not be made due to the few studies identified and the low quality of many of the trials. Only 7 randomized controlled trials were identified26,28,31,32,38,39,42 and randomization was adequate in only 1 study.32 There was a moderate-critical risk of bias identified in all included studies that should be considered when interpreting results.