Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
Resolving Water, Proteins, and Lipids from In Vivo Confocal Raman Spectra of Stratum Corneum through a Chemometric Approach
Published on: September 26, 2019
Atopic children and use of prescribed medication: A comprehensive study in general practice
David H J Pols1, Mark M J Nielen2, Arthur M Bohnen1
1Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Atopic children receive more prescriptions, including those for non-atopic conditions. This highlights a need for better general practitioner monitoring of atopic disorders in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Atopic disorders, including eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis (AR), are common in children.
- Understanding medication prescribing patterns for atopic children is crucial for optimizing care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between atopic disorders and prescribed medication in children.
- To compare medication prescriptions between atopic children and their non-atopic peers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the NIVEL Primary Care Database (2014) for nationwide general practice data.
- Matched 45,964 atopic children (eczema, asthma, AR) with non-atopic controls by age and gender.
- Employed logistic regression analysis to compare 93 medication groups, calculating odds ratios (OR).
Main Results:
- Atopic children received significantly more prescriptions overall compared to controls.
- Disorder-specific medications were frequently prescribed to children without the diagnosed atopic condition.
- Non-atopic related medications, like antibiotics, were also more common in atopic children.
Conclusions:
- Atopic children are prescribed more medications, indicating potential over-prescription or broader health needs.
- The frequent prescription of atopic-specific medications to non-atopic children suggests diagnostic or monitoring challenges.
- Enhanced general practitioner (GP) monitoring is recommended for children with atopic disorders.
Purpose:
A comprehensive and representative nationwide general practice database was explored to study associations between atopic disorders and prescribed medication in children.
Method:
All children aged 0-18 years listed in the NIVEL Primary Care Database in 2014 were selected. Atopic children with atopic eczema, asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) were matched with controls (not diagnosed with any of these disorders) within the same general practice on age and gender. Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the differences in prescribed medication between both groups by calculating odds ratios (OR); 93 different medication groups were studied.
Results:
A total of 45,964 children with at least one atopic disorder were identified and matched with controls. Disorder-specific prescriptions seem to reflect evidence-based medicine guidelines for atopic eczema, asthma and AR. However, these disorder-specific prescriptions were also prescribed for children who were not registered as having that specific disorder. For eczema-related medication, about 3.7-8.4% of the children with non-eczematous atopic morbidity received these prescriptions, compared to 1.4-3.5% of the non-atopic children. The same pattern was observed for anti-asthmatics (having non-asthmatic atopic morbidity: 0.8-6.2% vs. controls: 0.3-2.1%) and AR-related medication (having non-AR atopic morbidity: 4.7-12.5% vs. controls: 2.8-3.1%). Also, non-atopic related medication, such as laxatives and antibiotics were more frequently prescribed for atopic children.
Conclusions:
The present study shows that atopic children received more prescriptions, compared to non-atopic children. Non-atopic controls frequently received specific prescriptions for atopic disorders. This indicates that children with atopic disorders need better monitoring by their GP.
Related Concept Videos
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
01:23Inhaled Medications
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Mast Cell Stabilizers and Anti-IgE Drugs
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Inhaled Corticosteroids and Glucocorticoids
ICS work through a multifaceted mechanism of action. They suppress the inflammatory response caused by the proliferation of TH cells. They also reduce the transcription of the IL-2 gene, which is involved in the...