[Prescription of systemic cold and cough drugs to children 0-13 years old. An unresolved problem]

Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common cause of paediatric consultation, generating a high volume of prescriptions of drugs with unfavourable risk-benefit ratio. The aim of this study is to describe the prescription of systemic cough and cold medicines to children under 14 years of age in Castilla y León and analyse its variability.

A count was made of the prescriptions for the R05 therapeutic subgroup (antitussives and mucolytics) and the R01B pharmacological therapeutic subgroup (nasal decongestants for systemic use), prescribed for children under the age of 14 in the Public Health System between 2005-2010. The number of prescriptions was analysed as crude and age-adjusted rates, as well as a a multivariate analysis (Poisson regression) of the variability associated with health area, the urban/rural environment, age, and year of prescription.

There were 806,785 prescriptions for systemic cough and cold drugs given to an exposed population of 1,580,229 person-years. Prescription rates (per 100 person-years) were 20.7 (antitussives), 7.0 (sympathomimetic) and 23.4 (mucolytics). These drugs were employed more often in children <4 years. The prescription of mucolytics and sympathomimetics was highest at age of 1 year (rates=41.9 and 18.7, respectively) and of antitussives at 3 years (35.7). Multivariate analysis showed that in rural areas the prescription was higher than in urban areas, and that there were also significant differences between health areas.

Between 2005 and 2010 there was a high prescription of systemic cough and cold medicines, especially in children under 2 years old, and often outside the recommended conditions of use, and there was a high geographic variabilty.