Author Of 2 Presentations
EXAMINATION OF PARENTERAL DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS IN INFANTS
Abstract
Background
Parenteral drug (PD) use is one of the prescribing indicators in terms of rational use of medicine. Though frequently preferred in children, PDs require to be carefully practiced in primary healthcare, particularly in infants.
Objectives
This study aimed to describe PDs prescribed to infants at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Turkey.
Methods
PD prescriptions were collected from PHCs in 32 provinces of Turkey. After one hundred PD prescriptions per calendar month from each of the provinces were selected randomly, the prescriptions that were written to infants (<1-year-old) were analyzed based on some drug use parameters.
Results
A total of 156 prescriptions were identified to belong to infants, of which 54.5% were male. Among the total 168 PDs prescribed, 66.7% (n=112) were antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone (56.3%), followed by cefuroxime (9.8%), sultamicilin (9.8%), and rifamycin (8.9%). In non-antibiotic PDs, the most commonly prescribed drug was sodium chloride (28.5%), methylprednisolone (21.4%), and colecalciferol (19.6%). Gender was not found to affect prescriptions of antibiotic vs. non-antibiotic PDs (males: 61.4% vs. 46.4%, respectively; p=0.07). Rifamycin (6.4%), enoxaparine (0.6%), and trimethobenzamide (0.6%) were the only PDs that were found to be prescribed as off-label in this patient population.
Conclusion
In conclusion, two-thirds of PDs prescribed to infants seem to be antibiotics, more than half of which constitute cephalosporins. It is also remarkable that near one in ten antibiotics were prescribed as off-label.
INVESTIGATION OF OFF LABEL DRUG USE IN NEWBORNS
Abstract
Background
Already being as a vulnerable population, pediatric patients are more often exposed to off-label drug use (OLDU) compared to that in other age groups. While OLDU incidence tends to raise with decreasing age, those at the extreme, like newborns, need more attention in such drug use.
Objectives
This study aimed to investigate OLDU applications for neonates in Turkey.
Methods
This retrospective study analyzed medical records of OLDU applications that were made to Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency for neonates (≤28 days old). Several demographic characteristics of patients and applying physicians were examined as well as the most common drugs and diagnoses for which OLDU was applied.
Results
Total of 61 OLDU requests (0.7% of all pediatric applications) was made for neonates, and 73.8% applications were approved. Among all applications, 55.7% belonged to girls, and the mean age of patients was 15.8±7.1 days. Most of them were applied by pediatric endocrinology and metabolism specialists (36.1%) and neonatologists (24.6%); and 63.9% was submitted from university hospitals. The drug that was found to be most frequently used off-label was sapropterin (21.3%), followed by sodium glycerophosphate (18.0%) and sirolimus (8.2%). The most common three diagnoses regarding neonatal OLDU applications were detected as “classical phenylketonuria” (21.3%), “feeding problems of newborn (9.8%), and “disorders of glycine metabolism” (8.2%).
Conclusion
In conclusion, phenylketonuria appears to represent the most common reason for OLDU applications in newborns. Furthermore, neonatal OLDU applications seem to be made mostly by non-neonatologists, especially by pediatric endocrinology and metabolism specialists.
Presenter of 1 Presentation
EXAMINATION OF PARENTERAL DRUG PRESCRIPTIONS IN INFANTS
Abstract
Background
Parenteral drug (PD) use is one of the prescribing indicators in terms of rational use of medicine. Though frequently preferred in children, PDs require to be carefully practiced in primary healthcare, particularly in infants.
Objectives
This study aimed to describe PDs prescribed to infants at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Turkey.
Methods
PD prescriptions were collected from PHCs in 32 provinces of Turkey. After one hundred PD prescriptions per calendar month from each of the provinces were selected randomly, the prescriptions that were written to infants (<1-year-old) were analyzed based on some drug use parameters.
Results
A total of 156 prescriptions were identified to belong to infants, of which 54.5% were male. Among the total 168 PDs prescribed, 66.7% (n=112) were antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone (56.3%), followed by cefuroxime (9.8%), sultamicilin (9.8%), and rifamycin (8.9%). In non-antibiotic PDs, the most commonly prescribed drug was sodium chloride (28.5%), methylprednisolone (21.4%), and colecalciferol (19.6%). Gender was not found to affect prescriptions of antibiotic vs. non-antibiotic PDs (males: 61.4% vs. 46.4%, respectively; p=0.07). Rifamycin (6.4%), enoxaparine (0.6%), and trimethobenzamide (0.6%) were the only PDs that were found to be prescribed as off-label in this patient population.
Conclusion
In conclusion, two-thirds of PDs prescribed to infants seem to be antibiotics, more than half of which constitute cephalosporins. It is also remarkable that near one in ten antibiotics were prescribed as off-label.