Pilot study: Evaluation of potential drug-drug interactions in hospitalized pediatric patients
Fabiola Medina-Barajas1, Estefanía Vázquez-Méndez2, Edsaúl Emilio Pérez-Guerrero3
1Pharmacy Service, Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara "Dr. Juan I. Menchaca", 750 Salvador Quevedo y Zubieta St., 44340, Guadalajara, Mexico.
Insights
Pediatric patients frequently experience drug-drug interactions, with risk factors including age, size, and number of medications. Early detection of harmful interactions is crucial for improving patient safety in hospital settings.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) pose a significant risk in hospitalized pediatric patients.
- Understanding risk factors is essential for preventing adverse events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the type and severity of potential DDIs in hospitalized pediatric patients.
- To identify risk factors associated with DDIs in this population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analytical study of 88 pediatric patients (≤18 years) admitted to a tertiary care hospital.
- Prescriptions were analyzed for anthropometric data, diagnoses, and number of drugs, with DDIs identified using Micromedex 2.0.
Main Results:
- 42% of patients experienced potential DDIs, with 25.5% classified as major and 27.7% as moderate.
- Risk factors included age ≥ 4 years, body surface area (BSA) ≥ 0.8m², height ≥ 1m, and ≥ 4 prescribed medications.
Conclusions:
- Hospitalized pediatric patients are at considerable risk for DDIs.
- Identifying risk factors like age, BSA, height, and polypharmacy can guide preventative strategies.
- Timely detection of harmful DDIs is vital for enhancing patient safety.
Purpose:
Evaluate the type and severity of potential drug-drug interactions and identify risk factors involved, in pediatric patients admitted in a hospital setting.
Methods:
Transversal retrospective analytical study was carried out with hospitalized pediatric patients from a Hospital in the West of Mexico, second and third level. The patients included were ≤18 years old hospitalized in the children wards; those admitted at the emergency room, neonatal intermediate and intensive therapy units were not included. Medical prescriptions were reviewed taking into consideration anthropometric characteristics, diagnosis and number of drugs prescribed to identify potential drug-drug interactions using Micromedex 2.0 database.
Results:
88 patients were included, an average of 4.6 ± 2.8 of drugs were prescribed per patient. 37 subjects (42%) presented some degree of potential drug-drug interactions of which 25.5% were major and 27.7% moderate according to the software. Identified risk factors were: age ≥ 4 years (OR 1.917; 95% CI 1.081-3.399), BSA ≥ 0.8m2(OR 1.825; 95% CI 1.021-3.263), height ≥ 1 m (OR 2.556;95% CI 1.322 - 4.941), and number of prescribed medications ≥ 4 (OR 2.106;95% CI 1.248 - 3.556).
Conclusion:
Some of the interactions found were for the benefit of the patient, but others were considered undesirable because they altered the pharmacokinetics of some of the medications administered. Detecting in time the harmful interactions for a patient may favor the patient's safety.
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