Posaconazole Administration in Hospitalized Children in the United States

Area of Science:

• Pediatric pharmacology
• Infectious disease management

Background:

• Posaconazole is a broad-spectrum triazole antifungal agent.
• Its use in pediatric populations requires careful consideration due to limited approved indications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate trends in posaconazole utilization among hospitalized children.
• To assess the pattern of off-label use in younger pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of inpatient data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS).
• Inclusion criteria: hospitalized children receiving posaconazole between October 2006 and September 2015.
• Data extracted included patient demographics, admission details, and posaconazole administration records.

Main Results:

• A total of 878 children across 1949 admissions received posaconazole.
• Overall annual increase in posaconazole administration was 22%.
• A notable 27% annual increase in use was observed in children younger than 13 years, an age group for which posaconazole was not FDA-approved during the study period.

Conclusions:

• Posaconazole use in hospitalized children has shown a significant upward trend.
• Off-label prescribing of posaconazole in young children (<13 years) is increasing, highlighting a need for further research and guideline development in this population.